St. Andrew's Magazine, Vol. 40, No. 1

ST. ANDREW’S MAGAZINE WINTER REVIEW 2018

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ST. ANDREW’S MAGAZINE | YEAR 2018 V OL U ME 40, I SSU E 1

FEATURE STORIES 48 HOW DO WE KNOW WHAT GOOD TEACHING IS? 52 AN AMOS HALL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY 58 TEACHING & LEARNING: A Sampling of

Recent Assignments & Projects from SAS Classrooms— and What Students Learned from Them

64 INSPIRING TEACHERS

Women’s Network Weekend 2017 Celebrates Excellence in Education

TALK OF THE T-DOCK 12 HEAD OF SCHOOL’S MESSAGE 14 IN THE CLASSROOM 26 GO SAINTS! 34 CREATIVE CAMPUS 44 AROUND CAMPUS

CAN'T HELP BUT CONNECT 70 FROM THE DINING HALL TO SILICON VALLEY

Penn Daniel ’07 on His Work with Tech Startup DoorDash

by Joshua Speers ’09 74 STILL STANDS THINE ANCIENT SACRIFICE

St. Andreans Gather for Dedication of the Wall of Honor

77 CAN’T HELP BUT CONNECT 84 IN MEMORY 92 THE LAST WORD by Eric Finch

{Communications Guru Matt Troutman snapped this photo while waiting for the Super Blue Blood Moon Lunar Eclipse overlooking Noxontown Pond in the very W early morning of January inter Review 2018 u31.} 1

E D I TO R ’ S N OT E

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JUNE 8-10 | FOR SCHEDULE & MORE INFO VISIT WWW.STANDREWS-DE.ORG/REUNION

St. Andrew’s

MAGAZINE

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Liz Torrey COMMUNICATIONS TEAM

Amy Kendig, Will Torrey, Matthew Troutman

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

CONTRIBUTORS

Scott M. Sipprelle ’81, Chair Henry duP. Ridgely ’67,Vice Chair

Devin Duprey ’10, Giselle Furlonge ’03, Jake Myers ’12, Sam Permutt, Tad Roach, Grace Saliba ’12, Joshua Speers ’09, Al Wood

Andrea Sin, Secretary Richard B.Vaughan ’88, Treasurer

PHOTOGRAPHY

Joshua Meier, Molly S Photography MAIL LETTERS TO:

St. Andrew’s Magazine, 350 Noxontown Road, Middletown, DE 19709-1605 GENERAL E-MAIL:

magazine@standrews-de.org CLASS NOTES E-MAIL:

John P. N. Austin ’83 Sarah F. Belk Elizabeth Kirkland Cahill Roberta B. Connolly Ashish Dhawan

classnotes@standrews-de.org

Kellie S. Doucette ’88

Printed by Associates International in Wilmington, Del.

Charles P. Durkin ’97

St. Andrew’s Magazine is published by the Communications Office for alumni, parents, grandparents and friends of St. Andrew’s School. Copyright 2018.

Ari K. Ellis ’89 Michael J. Evans ’98 Robert F. Fogelman II ’91

Mission Statement of St. Andrew’s School In 1929, the School’s Founder, A. Felix duPont, wrote: The purpose of St. Andrew’s School is to provide secondary education of a definitely Christian character at a minimum cost consistent with modern equipment and highest standards.

We continue to cultivate in our students a deep and lasting desire for learning; a willingness to ask questions and pursue skeptical, independent inquiry; and an appreciation of the liberal arts as a source of wisdom, perspective and hope. We encourage our students to model their own work on that of practicing scholars, artists and scientists and to develop those expressive and analytical skills necessary for meaningful lives as engaged citizens. We seek to inspire in them a commitment to justice and peace.

Our students and faculty live in a residential community founded on ethical principles and Christian beliefs. We expect our faculty and staff to make our students’ interests primary, to maintain professional roles with students and to act as role models at all times, to set and maintain healthy boundaries with students, to encourage student autonomy and independence, to act transparently with students, and to support each student’s developmental growth and social integration at the School. Our students collaborate with dynamic adults and pursue their passions in a co-curriculum that includes athletics, community service and the arts. We encourage our students to find the balance between living in and contributing to the community and developing themselves as leaders and individuals.

As an Episcopal School, St. Andrew’s is grounded in and upheld by our Episcopal identity, welcoming persons regardless of their religious background.

We are called to help students explore their spirituality and faith as we nurture their understanding and appreciation of all world religions. We urge students to be actively involved in community service with the understanding that all members of the community share responsibility for improving the world in which we live.

St. Andrew’s is committed to the sustainability and preservation of its land, water and other natural resources. We honor this commitment by what we teach and by how we live in community and harmony with the natural world.

On our campus, students, faculty and staff from a variety of backgrounds work together to create a vibrant and diverse community. St. Andrew’s historic and exceptional financial aid program makes this possible, enabling the School to admit students regardless of their financial needs.

Sabina B. Forbes W. Hoyt Gahagan Edith “Sis” Johnson F. John Matouk ’89 Carolyn M. Matthews ’77 L. Heather Mitchell ’92 Daniel T. Roach, Jr. Head of School Laurisa S. Schutt Staci Williams Seeley Edward M. Strong ’66 Alexander D. Stuart Michael D. Warner ’00 TRUSTEES EMERITI

Katharine duP. Gahagan, Chair Emeritus J. Kent Sweezey ’70, Chair Emeritus William H. Brownlee ’44 Monie T. Hardwick Maureen K. Harrington Thomas H. Hooper, III ’71 Timothy W. Peters ’66 Sally E. Pingree Caroline duP. Prickett Henry H. Silliman, Jr.

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The fall and spring are often considered the most glorious seasons at St. Andrew’s, but this winter offered a special gift of ice on the ponds. Once official measurements confirmed at least six inches, students got to work clearing the snow with shovels.

Skates and old hockey sticks soon emerged from faculty basements and the fun was on. Students took advantage of the ice during early-morning sunrises and through late-afternoon sunsets. A few inches of additional snow during the week was cleared as swiftly as it fell to maintain the merriment. We look forward to the bloom of spring and the colors of fall, but we’ll always have those two weeks of this past winter.

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The A. Felix DuPont, Jr. Chapel remains the spiritual heart of the School and comes most alive in December with the traditional Service of Lessons and Carols. Alumni, parents, faculty, staff, and students fill the Chapel over two services featuring a festival of nine lessons and carols modeled after the famous service held annually at King’s College, Cambridge.

“I love singing,” says Alex Phan ’19 (left) who hails from Warsaw, Poland. “In those moments in the Chapel we are all part of a larger family.

I wouldn’t consider myself a religious person, but when I’m singing I am filled with a sense of spirituality. I embrace it.”

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Nick Lilley ’21 notches another pin and another victory for St. Andrew’s wrestling. Nick was one wrestler among a stable of freshmen looking to tap into the proud history of St. Andrew’s wrestling through grueling practice in the Cameron Wrestling Room. “Wrestling is a sport of discipline, strength, cardiovascular fitness, and technique,” says Head Coach Phil Davis. “Nick showed all that and a will to win.

He sometimes wrestled kids two weight classes above him and never complained. When Nick lost a match his sportsmanship never failed.

He’d just shake his opponent’s hand and then ask, ‘Who do I wrestle next, Coach?’”

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Ceramics students spent time this winter crafting iPod speakers in the studio in preparation for a late February exhibition in the Warner Gallery. “Ceramic is a perfect material for amplifying sound,” says studio arts teacher Elizabeth McGiff. “Students need to take into consideration the size of the iPod and the elasticity of the clay. Other than that, anything goes. Some parts were thrown on the wheel and others were hand built with coil or slabs.”

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H E A D O F S C H O O L’ S M E S S A G E

It is good to see you all

after what I hope was a great winter break with family and friends. I hope this return day schedule eases your transition back to school, allows you to reflect on the good work and promise of the 2017-2018 school year, and focus on the crucial responsibilities we have for one another.

Over the vacation, I read an essay titled, “Waking up to the Gift of Aliveness,” written by a professor of philosophy at Harvard University, Sean Kelly.

The piece pays tribute to a teacher Kelly had in his undergraduate career, Hubert Dreyfus, and the source of the tribute is an epiphany created by finding and reading a long forgotten and discarded sentence from a notebook from a lecture class. The sentence read: “The goal of life, for Pascal, is not happiness, peace, or fulfillment, but aliveness.”

What made this moment an epiphany was that Kelly read that note decades after he had taken Dreyfus’ course. In fact, Kelly had turned back to his old notebook precisely because he, now a professor, was teaching the philosophy of Blaise Pascal in one of the courses he now taught at Harvard. In the intervening years, the notebook had been lost and forgotten, only to reappear miraculously not as a collection of observations that Kelly needed to remember for an exam—but instead a philosophy, an ALL SCHOOL CHAPEL REMARKS | JANUARY 4, 2018 ethic he could live by.

Both for Sean Kelly and for us here at St. Andrew’s, the Dreyfus quotation—the goal of life is aliveness— is a powerful one for us to consider and remember in the winter and in the opening moments of 2018.

It reminds us that our very lives are miraculous, full of great potential for dramatic and life- and worldchanging contributions, discoveries, innovations.

For Kelly, the phrase from his notes resonated because as an adult he realized that what we call the routines and schedules of life do at times lull us to sleep, make us believe that the spontaneous, the miraculous, the essence of life are forever buried under the essential business and routine of our lives.

John Gardner described our passive and unfulfilled potential with these words: “Most men and women go through their lives using no more than a fraction— usually a very small fraction—of the possibilities within them. The reservoir of unused talent is vast.”

A note that lay dormant awakened Kelly. Here is how he described the phenomenon of reading that sentence decades after his class was over:

Aliveness

“When you really feel alive, your past, your present, and your future somehow make sense together as the unity they have always promised to

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be. I sometimes feel truly alive for instance, when I am teaching my students. When it is going well, when we are connected and engaged and the classroom is buzzing, it is not just that we are sharing a special moment together. For me, that moment has the special character that it does because it fulfills the promise implicit in moments like that from my own childhood and youth. It is the validation of what came before as it is the preparation for what comes after. When you see in your students the sense that what is happening now will stay in them, will remain alive as a future memory that can sustain them in some other moment, far away and different from the one we are now sharing, then the moment vibrates with an energy it wouldn’t otherwise have.”

Let’s think about that passage—when we feel really alive, Kelly suggests, we see ourselves as artists, somehow honoring and building on who taught and nurtured us, what was taught to us, and how we learned. We who teach honor our own teachers, our parents, our grandparents, our role models—we offer their wisdom electrified by our own personal gifts and insights. For you who now learn, you will carry this spirit, this vision, this presence, this wisdom onto your own lives, and then pass it on to the young people under your care someday in family, work, or play. The point Kelly makes is that the moments of our lives, the conversations we have on dorm, in advisee groups, in classes, have the potential to reappear and reignite our souls long after those days have apparently ended. When I teach, for instance, I remember the words of my professor Fred Stocking, now deceased, as he taught me that literature could illuminate the meaning of life. When I lead, I remember the inspiration of my high school soccer coach who said before a big game, “This is a great opportunity,” thereby unleashing a confidence and audacity that led us to victory.

What is happening every day here at St. Andrew’s is the collection and cultivation of people and insights and habits of mind and heart that will love and support and inspire you each and every day, yes, in moments of happiness, but more importantly when we deal with tragedy and difficult moments now and for the rest of your lives. This is extraordinary and magnificent.

On my Head of School bulletin board, I posted an article over the break about the Naval Academy’s placekicker, who missed the game-winning field goal in the final seconds of the rivalry game with Army.

This is a story of courage, teamwork, and grace.

Even as the kick sailed wide and the game was lost, Bennett Moehring felt the energy and support of his teammates: “I’ll never forget my team wouldn’t let me fall, even though I’d just let them down,” he recalls. Over the days and weeks after the kick, New York Times reporter Juliet Macur writes, “Moehring heard from generations of Navy football players, offering him their support, saying he had tried his best and that was all Midshipmen could ever ask for.” He observed, “It felt like a giant network of brotherhood was catching me.”

It turns out Moehring had also taken a course in leadership at the Naval Academy. Macur writes: “In class, he had practiced how to put a positive spin on bad news and motivate people who were struggling.

His professor, a former Navy SEAL, often talked to him after class, giving advice on resilience and relating how the SEALs would succeed in missions that did not go as planned.

‘It’s all about how you are going to respond,’ the professor would say. ‘People are going to see that and they are going to say, Is this a guy worth following?’”

By the end of his two weeks of conversations and reflections, Moehring emerged more strong, confident, and assertive.

“I’m just like, thanks guys. I’ll hit it next time.”

We need a spirit of readiness, expectation, and vitality to stay alive to the moments that either teach us the meaning of life or allow us to share that vision of generosity with others. We need in these upcoming two short months to seize the beauty of winter as powerfully as we embrace the spring. How? By going on the offensive for moments of creativity, serenity, and human connection; by supporting one another unconditionally; by living lives of integrity; by honoring the soul, spirit, body of every single person; by looking for the light of epiphany to shine in every classroom; by rejecting the false allure of drugs and alcohol; by continuing a school year that honors and respects the spirit of St. Andrew’s; by tackling February with the greatest assertion of joy, vitality, and exuberance ever witnessed here; by finding beauty in the slow and gorgeous awakening of life we can observe even in the apparent darkness of winter.

The goal of life is aliveness, for then we are awakened to the beauty, majesty, dignity, and promise of every human being and our natural world. J

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Dr. Aatish Bhatia Inspires Students & Faculty at the Annual Crump Physics Lecture

The St. Andrew’s community welcomed Dr. Aatish Bhatia to campus for the annual Crump Physics Lecture on Friday, February 9. Dr. Bhatia, Associate Director of the Council on Science and Technology at Princeton University, spent three days on campus: visiting classes, leading student workshops, and urging the community to be more curious.

Director of Academic Innovation and physics teacher John Burk stated, “To me, the most amazing thing about Aatish’s visit was how he was able to make curiosity more contagious than the flu. You could see this in his every interaction with students.

They would ask a question, he would offer an incredible response, and then every time, ask the student for his or her name, and later in that day, reference that student in a conversation.”

Burk continued, “Aatish’s genuine curiosity about the world around him, about St. Andrew’s, and about the people he met and their interests was infectious and left us wanting to look at the world around us with a better sense of wonderment and curiosity.

He shared photos of the scientist he worked with to figure out the nature of the water-repelling leaves and talked about the inspiration and ideas he draws from being able to take ideas and share questions with scientific experts around the world through Twitter. He even tweeted about Nadia Holcomb ’19 and her interest in bugs, in the attempt to connect her to other experts in the field!”

Students were inspired by Dr. Bhatia’s workshop, where he taught a group of students how to build an electric piano out of paper and circuits. Participant Heleah Soulati ’21 reflected on the lesson by saying, “The word I would use to describe the electric piano workshop would be ‘eye-opening.’ I never knew about the role of coding in electric circuits and the power of charcoal and lead. I am so grateful I got to participate in this amazing activity.”

After his visit, Dr. Bhatia reflected on his visit: “One of my favorite moments was our impromptu discussion after my talk where I was blown away by the inquisitiveness, maturity, and earnest enthusiasm

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that the students demonstrated. St. Andrew’s really is a very unique learning community, and I’m glad to have had the chance to spend time there and learn more about it. I came away inspired by the depth of inquiry and learning that I encountered, and by the rich conversations that have given me so many good ideas about what hands-on, inquiry-based learning looks like.”

Dr. Bhatia focuses on improving science instruction, developing deeper appreciation and understanding of STEM, and finding connections with other disciplines. He also oversees Princeton’s Makerspace Studiolab, which brings together students from all disciplines for some impressive

collaborations between STEM, Humanities and the Arts.

Burk noted, “I’ve followed Aatish on Twitter for the better part of a decade and always found him to be an inspirational and generous thinker. About four years ago, I had my students read his story about the physics of the Archer Fish, and one of my students, Millie Spencer ’16, became so inspired that she wrote up a summary with some of her own questions about the Archer Fish on a blog. I shared the post with Aatish on Twitter, and he wrote her back. Then when Aatish visited, he remembered not only that moment but Millie’s name. I was flabbergasted.” •

Bill Crump ’44 will live on at St. Andrew’s through the annual William A. Crump Jr. ’44 Physics Lecture that brings a nationally prominent physicist to campus each year. Many years after his graduation, Bill added a codicil to his will with St. Andrew’s as the beneficiary. The next year he made an outright gift to create and endow the William A. Crump Jr. Annual Physics Lecture that he attended each year. Head of School Tad Roach recognized Bill’s stewardship, saying, “Alumni are the living endowment of the School. Bill’s bequest will enrich the teaching of physics at St. Andrew’s for decades to come, but his greatest legacy is his love of and faithful commitment to the spirit of St. Andrew’s.”

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A Novel of One’s Own Mary Puryear ’19 spent her November afternoons at St. Andrew’s participating in “NaNoWriMo”—also known as National Novel Writing Month. Begun in 1999, this annual initiative encourages aspiring writers to write 50,000 words of a novel in the month of November. Participants register on the NaNoWriMo website (nanowrimo.org), where they can participate in support forums and find information on local NaNoWriMo events and meet-ups. Throughout the month, writers receive motivational pep talks from published authors, and at the end of the month, anyone who uploads a 50,000 word manuscript “wins.”

To get to her goal of 50,000 words by the end of the month, Mary had to write about 1,500 words a day. “It was a lot,” Mary said. “Especially on top of St. Andrew’s schoolwork.

But it was a lot of fun.” She had performed in the fall play, which wrapped at the end of October and had planned to spend the rest of her fall semester afternoons volunteering at the Middletown Boys & Girls Club—until she stumbled on the NaNoWriMo website. She then submitted a proposal to Dean of Student Life Will Robinson, requesting a “course release” from her afternoon activity and outlining what she hoped to accomplish by participating in NaNoWriMo. Mary noted that, as at all high schools, “there’s a lot at St. Andrew’s that’s out of your control, in terms of the classes you have to take. So I thought it was important to set aside this time for writing. Because you’re not going to get better if you’re not practicing.”

With Mr. Robinson’s blessing in hand, Mary sat down to write from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. each weekday, plus a few hours on Saturdays and Sundays. She began the month with two different novel ideas, and got about 6,000 words in on each before she decided to scrap all her work and start over. “I wasn’t really connecting to my ideas—I wasn’t feeling excited about what I was writing,” she recalled. “I don’t know if it was the characters, or if I didn’t give myself enough of a storyboard or plot. So I changed things up and ended up writing more of an autobiography. That was a lot more fun because I didn’t have to work so hard to come up with a plot or characters—I already had them!”

Starting over partway through the month added to her workload, but she made up for lost time over Thanksgiving break and did achieve her goal of 50,000 words—a complete novel—by month’s end. “It’s not very good,” she demurs. “It’s pretty rough. But the point was just to be writing every day. I think it helped me let go of my perfectionism a little bit, because obviously, what you write every day, not all of it is going to be great. The experience really forced me to get into the habit of writing. Even when it’s inconvenient, or you’re not in the mood, you just have to sit down and do it.”

Mary has been writing creatively since her childhood, and likes to write it all—fiction, non-fiction, poetry. She has attended creative writing programs during her summer breaks from St. Andrew’s and is currently taking the School’s upper-level creative writing course.

“That’s been great,” she said. “It’s hard to hold yourself accountable, so it’s nice to have a due date that forces you to turn things in.” But where she really credits St. Andrew’s with bolstering her writing abilities is not so much in its instruction, as in its community.

“My old school back in Nashville was not very diverse,” she recalled.

“Here, meeting people from all over the world, and hearing so many different perspectives, has definitely helped my writing.” l

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n the 2018-2019 school year, St. Andrew's will begin using a new daily academic schedule.

The new schedule design is the result of more than two years of work and study on the issue that has included faculty and student review and research visits to peer institutions. We are excited about the opportunities for more immersive learning, reflection, and collaboration.

The overall goal for the new schedule is to engender a more productive and sustainable daily and weekly pace at St. Andrew's that better enables students and faculty to meet their high expectations for themselves and for each other. Our schedule will have longer class periods but fewer classes per day, with a goal of making more time for collaborative and engaged learning. Research confirmed our hunch that longer classes enable immersion, benefit a variety of teaching methods, and foster student balance and engagement. We also found that allowing more time between classes and more breaks throughout the day can provide space for meetings and reflection. The new schedule will also allow the School to offer a variety of new courses, including, for the first time, semester-long electives. Our new class schedule features four class periods per day, each one hour and fifteen minutes long. Classes rotate through the schedule in a repeated pattern over a seven-day cycle.

Faculty are reviewing the best practices for teaching 75-minute periods, led by Dean of Teaching & Learning Elizabeth Roach and Department Chairs. Teachers and departments have also been revising current courses and designing new semester courses, all of which can be reviewed in the School’s course catalog, available on the St. Andrew’s website.

Under the new schedule, the School has intensified its approach to exploring ideas, current events, and causes larger than ourselves. Our Saturdays will be structured around the following kinds of events and activities: • •

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New Academic Schedule to Debut in 2018-2019 School Year

Special academic exhibitions or demonstrations presented by departments within the School; A cultivation of the art of civil discourse and intellectual argument: students and faculty will join together to discuss and analyze the talks delivered by writers, historians, physicists, environmentalists, and scholars; Further conversations about the art of creating community in diversity, the threat of global warming and the ways we can sustain the earth, and wellness initiatives designed to help the community flourish; ACT/SAT testing for juniors and seniors; Opportunities for Form meetings, Form elections, and Form activities; and Engagement in student leadership development and training.

We believe this new schedule will provide a more balanced and reasonable daily and weekly pace for our students, and as a result, deepen our commitment to academic excellence and rigor. You can read more about the new schedule and review sample weekly student schedules on our website at standrews-de.org/schedule.

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WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN ALLY

F The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.

Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.

—Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

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or many years at St. Andrew’s, we have celebrated Dr. King’s birthday by going about the routines of our regular schedule. We have attended to the work of our academic classes, extracurricular activities, and community service— commemorating the indelible mark which Dr. King left on the landscape of human rights by participating fully in every aspect of our own community. This year, in its inaugural year of existence, the Student Diversity Committee decided to take a different approach. When asked to “think big,” these creative students chose to craft a three-day, multifaceted course of action to honor Dr. King’s legacy. They challenged faculty and students alike not to go about our regular schedule, but to take the time to reflect on the work still left to be done: the work of making the world around us a more collaborative, equitable, and compassionate place. Using the inspirational framework of non-violent resistance advanced by Dr. King and shared by civil rights activist Diane Nash with the School community this past fall, the Student Diversity Committee (SDC) worked together to craft a program for students that fostered curiosity and authentic engagement.

At its core, the workshops and group meetings of this year’s MLK celebration asked the community to grapple with the central question of, “What does it mean to be an ally at St. Andrew’s?” Meaningful student choice lay at the foundation of each element of the program. Beginning on Dr. King’s birthday, students had the opportunity to select to attend a screening of the films Gone with the Wind or Selma. On Monday night, students filled seats in Engelhard Hall and Forbes Theatre. SDC leaders at the screening of Selma (2014) prompted their peers to consider “the bravery and great sacrifices which were made in this country in order to improve racial equality... engage with the hard questions... and be a defender of truth and justice everywhere.” On the other side of campus, before screening the cinematic monument Gone With The Wind (1939), students were encouraged to “watch with critical eyes, to challenge the narrative [the film] presents, and to continue to have conversations about the questions it raises about stereotypes as well as the portrayal of slavery and women in the antebellum South.”

On Tuesday morning, students gathered in Engelhard as the SDC led an activity aimed at setting

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AT ST. ANDREW’S? WRITTEN BY GISELLE FURLONGE, DEVIN DUPREY, AND SAM PERMUTT

the tone for the day’s events. The icebreaker, “Either/ Or,” asked students to stand or sit depending on which of two things they preferred. “Even though this was just a silly little game, it’s a good reminder that we don’t always have to agree on everything. It’s ok to have different opinions within a community,” said Francesca Bruni ’18. Following the ice breaker, with 19 different workshops to choose from, students continued to engage with a variety of hands-on sessions, discussions, and affinity group meetings designed to build inquiry and proximity with one another by tackling topics at times unfamiliar or uncomfortable. In one student-sponsored workshop, III Former and North Carolina native Rhett Edens ’21 led a discussion of how the Civil War is taught in the South. In another workshop, the Poetry Club explored the way in which poetry can be used as a medium for activism. Yet another session allowed students to consider the link between professional athletes and social activism. While the options were varied, all workshops sought to engage students in dialogue to understand our shared responsibility in continuing Dr. King’s work within the St. Andrew’s community and beyond.

As students were engaging in a range of workshops—from exploring unconscious bias through bracelet making, to examining the role of photographic images in influencing perception, to discussing the challenges and rewards of leading a diverse community with Head of School Tad Roach— faculty were participating in their own professional development. We welcomed to campus Grace Chen, author and current doctoral candidate at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. Ms. Chen began her educational career teaching high school math on a peanut field in rural North Carolina. More recently, she spent six years designing and facilitating preservice and in-service programming for secondary math teachers across the country. Her research interests focus on developing teacher education pedagogies that support teachers in developing practices of equitable mathematics teaching. Her keynote address to the faculty, entitled “Refusing Racial Stereotypes: A Political Take on Teaching,” invited veteran and new teachers alike to consider what equity looks like in teaching by embracing the relational nature of the teaching profession.

Ms. Chen encouraged the adult community to learn the personal stories of each of our students, and to see the relationship between personal history, including complicated racialized history, and present identity. Through the lens of Asian-American history, she explored the “model minority” stereotype and described the role of Asian-American students in the desegregation of schools in America. Her address gave the faculty an opportunity to consider more broadly what building equity looks like in a diverse community such as ours. It can be a sobering notion to realize that the standards of equitable education are continuously moving. We must constantly engage in new ideas and with one another to listen, learn, and reflect. In doing so we are able to push the boundaries of what we consider to be excellent education.

Students and adults concluded the MLK program on Wednesday evening with sit-down dinner and

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Chapel, and these distinctive St. Andrew’s events took on a new twist. Dress was casual, and a meal of pizza and salad was accompanied by reflection questions about the days’ events.

How can you, as a St. Andrean, cultivate allyship, open-mindedness, and support, not only on campus but in our communities at home?

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• •

What is a moment in the past three days which has challenged you, made you uncomfortable, or surprised you?

How did you approach that feeling?

Moving forward, how can you, as a St. Andrean, cultivate allyship, openmindedness, and support, not only on campus but in our communities at home?

As we descended into the Chapel following dinner, student reflections lined the walls. In the great tradition of murals at St. Andrew’s, members of the

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SDC had created an “ally mural.” After Tuesday’s workshops, students had reflected on what they had experienced by writing responses to the questions: “What do you need to be an ally?” and “What do you need from an ally?” on three large panels of paper, and then hung these on the Chapel stairs.

The modified Quaker-style Chapel service planned by the SDC allowed members of the community to share their reflections spontaneously. In a traditional Quaker meeting, all sit in silence until a member of the congregation feels moved to speak. In this reimagined service, when a student stood to share their reflections, other members of the community also stood silently if that message resonated with them. The members of the SDC wanted to use the cornerstone of Wednesday night Chapel as a moment to not only reflect, but to demonstrate the power and strength that visible allyship gives to the St. Andrew’s community.

Throughout the three days of programming, the Student Diversity Committee sought to reimagine what engagement in Dr. King’s work looks like for the current generation of St. Andreans. Their mission was to go beyond remembering King’s accomplishments alone, but to continue his work as an educator and ally—not just for one, two, or three days, but every day on our campus. l

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Bear

Strange Samir Arrington ’18 and Austin Brannan ’19 Collaborate on Choreography

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trange Fruit is not your average jazz standard. The song, written by poet and activist Abel Meeropol and first performed by Billie Holiday, was inspired by a famous photograph of a 1930 lynching of two young black men in Indiana. Its lyrics inject an idealized notion of the American South as a fragrant, fertile pastoralia with the grim reality of lynching: of blood, rot, and decay; of death on display; of black bodies transmuted into a “strange and bitter crop” for a white mob mentality to consume.

“People sometimes don’t get the full-body experience of listening to this song, because they aren’t really listening to the lyrics,” said Samir Arrington ’18.

“In the lyrics, ‘black bodies swing

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in the Southern breeze.’ That point, I feel, really needs to get across.”

This is perhaps one of the reasons why Samir and his fellow dance student Austin Brannan ’19 decided to choreograph a dance to Nina Simone’s version of Strange Fruit this fall. Austin’s initial inspiration came during his summer break, while reading the 2017 all-School summer read, Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad (Whitehead will be visiting St. Andrew’s this spring to give a talk to the School community).

“I was listening to Strange Fruit at the time, and I was like, ‘This is the perfect year—I feel like there’s not a more relevant time to be doing a dance to this song,’”

Austin recalled. “And when I had that moment of inspiration, I was thinking about choreographing it for Samir. I feel like it’s not my place to be portraying that history and that past.”

“When you see it on the stage, you can’t deny: I’m black,” Samir said. “So if people know the actual story of Strange Fruit, and know it’s a song that’s talking about blacks being lynched in the South, you know that this applies to part of my past.”

Austin and Samir worked on the choreography in their extracurricular Afternoon Dance group. Dance Program Director Avi Gold oversees the group, which is open to dancers at all levels; Gold provides choreography and instruction to less experienced

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Fruit dancers, while allowing more experienced dancers to create their own works. Samir and Austin come from very different dance backgrounds: Austin arrived at St. Andrew’s with five years of competitive tap dance experience and had also taken ballet, jazz, and modern dance classes; Samir had never danced before coming to the School. “I might have taken three or four Zumba classes in the mall with my mom,” he said.

“I was interested in dance, but I really didn’t know if I wanted to pursue it, with all the stereotypes that exist about men and particularly black men in dance.”

Samir literally stumbled in to dance during his III Form year; he was wandering around the Arts Center during a double free

period and came across a group of V Form dance students rehearsing on the Engelhard stage with Mr. Gold. “I was immediately like, ‘I want to join in on this,’ and then Neva [Richardson ’16] was kind enough to pull me onstage and take part in what they were doing. I was like ‘I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m living.’

And it all just grew from there.”

Samir has taken dance courses each year since then, culminating in Advanced Study Dance this year, and both he and Austin have been members of the Afternoon Dance crew since their respective freshman years at SAS. “I’m old in dance years—14 is old to start dancing,” Samir added. “But that didn’t stop Mr. Gold from believing in me—or me from believing in myself—and that’s what has made it all possible.”

In their collaboration for Strange Fruit, the boys wove together their different dance backgrounds and styles, including Austin’s tap dance expertise and Samir’s ongoing interest in African dance. They also brought different creative habits to the table: when choreographing, Austin likes to begin with an existing dance as a jumping-off point for inspiration, whereas Samir likes to spontaneously react to the music.

“I think there are some similarities between how this dance came to be and American dance in general,” Samir said.

“For example, tap dance is a hybrid of juba and Irish clogging.

Juba was a form of dance originated by black slaves who were not allowed to use drums— the masters were afraid this would lead to a revolt—so they would stomp on the ground and clap to keep rhythm while dancing. And this somehow got combined with the clogging of Irish indentured servants, and out of that you get tap dance, with its syncopated rhythms. So that’s kind of like us—Austin’s white, and he likes to tap dance, and me, I’m into

African dance, and we’re able to fuse all of that together. It’s the story of dance in America.”

Samir performed the piece for the School community during Parents Weekend in October.

“I had people come up to me afterwards and say, ‘I was crying,’” he recalled.

“Well, I had mainly white people come to me and say, ‘I thought it was really beautiful, but I just didn’t understand it,’” Austin said. “I thought, ‘Were you listening to the lyrics?’”

“If people know the actual story of Strange Fruit, and know it’s a song that’s talking about blacks being lynched in the South, you know that this applies to part of my past.”

“The dance was created by Austin, but I’m the one who is bringing it to life, and putting this presence on stage that’s supposed to embody the pain and suffering that my ancestors experienced not even that long ago,” Samir said.

“There were moments within this dance where it all came together and—I’m not a super-emotional person, but I’d be ready to cry, too. It was the past, and all my thoughts, coming together in this one emotional embodiment of movement. It was different than anything I’ve ever danced. It was really special.” l

Lyrics to Strange Fruit

Southern trees bear a strange fruit Blood on the leaves and blood at the root Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees Pastoral scene of the gallant south The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth Scent of magnolias, sweet and fresh Then the sudden smell of burning flesh Here is fruit for the crows to pluck For the rain to gather, for the wind to suck For the sun to rot, for the trees to drop Here is a strange and bitter crop

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2017 Distinguished Alum Cristy Colon ’87 visited classrooms during her visit on November 29. That evening, she gave a Chapel Talk about the highs and lows of her experience as one of only a handful of minority students at St. Andrew’s during the mid1980s. You can listen to her Chapel Talk at standrews-de.org/podcasts.

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Students take their English exam in the Irene duPont Library on January 26.

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William Shakespeare’s The Tragedy of Hamlet can’t dampen the mood for Cole Ferguson ’19 and Sarah Caron ’19 in Will Torrey’s V Form English class.

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Math teacher Jenny Carroll works with Gus Richards ’19 and Reagan Meyer ’19 in their Problem Solving in Precalculus & Trigonometry class.

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Althea Clarke ’19, Elise Hogan ’19, Matt Yan ’19, and Frances Malley ’19 work on a trigonometry problem set outdoors on a rare warm afternoon this January.

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Physics teacher Ashley Hyde talks about Newton’s Third Law with Bwembya Tembo ’20 in class.

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Mid-Season Saints Sports Recaps WRESTLING

GIRLS SWIMMING

CAPTAINS: Brando Leggott ’18, Nick Lilley ’21

CAPTAINS: Alex Hopkins ’18, Ryann Schutt ’18

The St. Andrew’s wrestling program has enjoyed quite the resurgence in the 2017-2018 school year, welcoming eight new wrestlers to the program.

These novice wrestlers have competed in many JV tournaments and have hosted two dual meets with Delaware Design-Lab, both of which the Saints won.

In the Westtown Wrestling Tournament, AJ Ayres ’19 took home second place in the 182 lb. weight class, while Owen Schneider ’21 took home bronze in the 120 lb. class. In the Smyrna JV Tournament, both Wade Anthony ’20 and Nick Lilley ’21 placed fourth in their respective weight classes.

Brando Leggott ’18, a 2017 state tournament qualifier, has enjoyed a successful senior campaign at the varsity level as he has won the Bulldog Invitational, the Westtown Wrestling Tournament, and the Tower Hill Tournament. Leggott, who wrestles at 152 lbs., will look to take home first place in the Delaware Independent Schools Conference championship meet on February 13 at 4:00 p.m.

The St. Andrew’s girls swim team, who won the 2017 Conference Championship, continue to cement themselves as the best team in the Delaware Independent School Conference as they have again defeated all conference opponents during their regular season meets. The Saints are led by newcomer Alyse Ray ’20 who has qualified for seven individual events at the state championships, held in late February. Sarah Caron ’19, a 2017 Honorable Mention All-State performer, has continued to build on her sophomore year success by qualifying for six individual events at the state championships. Other Saints who have qualified for individual events include: Ryann Schutt ’18, Ann Yancey Bassett ’19, Pia Mozdzanowski ’19, Piper Ackermann ’19, and Marie Ueda ’21.

INDOOR TRACK CAPTAINS: Quentin Abramo ’18, Alex Horgan ’18,

Baylen Manocha ’18 The St. Andrew’s indoor track team enjoyed a successful season as they competed in five competitions in the Wilmington and Philadelphia area. Leading the pack of Saints runners was crosscountry superstar Alex Horgan ’18. Horgan, who cemented himself as one of the best cross-country runners in the state this past fall, when he earned First Team All-State honors, continued to impress indoors this winter. He will participate in the 1600 meter and 3200 meter races at the state championships. Blake Hundley ’20, who took home a bronze medal at the Ursinus High School Open, will join Horgan in the 3200 meter race at the state championships. Quentin Abramo ’18, competing in the 200 and 400 meter sprints, qualified for the state championships in each, but missed the final cut by .01 and .04 seconds.

Classmate Alec Barreto ’18 also qualified in the 3200 meter event, but, like Abramo, was unable to make the final cut.

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BOYS SWIMMING CAPTAINS: Dylan Torrance ’18, Will Gray ’18

The St. Andrew’s boys swim team continues to establish themselves as the best team in the Delaware Independent Schools Conference, defeating all conference opponents during their regular season meets. Dylan Torrance ’18, the 2017 team MVP and Second Team All-State performer, has continued to lead the Saints during his final campaign. So far, he has qualified for all eight individual events at this year’s state championships. Will Cammerzell ’19 and Tad Scheibe ’19, both Honorable Mention AllState performers last season, have enjoyed terrific years; Cammerzell has qualified for seven individual events at the state championships while Scheibe has qualified for six events. Newcomer Andrew Park ’21, qualifying for seven individual states events like Cammerzell, has established himself as one of the top freshmen swimmers in the state of Delaware. Other state qualifiers include: Will Gray ’18, Ben Covell ’18, Wilson Archie ’18, and Xander Atalay ’19.

The Saints, whose record stands at 6-4, took home their second consecutive conference championship on February 4 when they hosted the DISC meet. Go Saints!

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GO SAINTS!

GIRLS SQUASH

GIRLS BASKETBALL

CAPTAINS: Margaret Flynn ’18, Annie Roach ’18, Hanna

CAPTAINS: Noor El-Baradie ’19, Leandre Pestcoe ’19

Soulati ’18, Noelle Yoo ’18 The girls varsity squash team rebounded from losing a strong class of seniors nicely and built on recent success that the group has had. Playing in the competitive Mid-Atlantic Squash Association, the highlight of the season was a thrilling win over The Hill School, 5-4 at home. The girls competed in Division IV at US Squash Nationals and beat the Sacred Heart JV team (Greenwich, CT) and Mercersburg Academy (PA) on their way to a 10th place finish.

“We had a great group of seniors that have been with the program for the past four years,” said head coach Taylor Foehl. “Noelle Yoo, Annie Roach, Hanna Soulati, Margaret Flynn, Catherine An, and Francesca Bruni have set this program up for success in the years to come through their hard work and dedication to the team.”

The St. Andrew’s girls varsity basketball team has already reached its win total from one season ago, defeating Delaware Design-Lab, Brandywine High School, and Glasgow High School. The Saints, who currently sit at 5-11, are averaging close to 28 points per game (up from 22.65 last season) and have held opponents to under 25 points on five occasions.

This turnaround on offense has been spearheaded

by Noor El-Baradie ’19 who averages a team-high 8.4 points per contest. Her season high came against Glasgow High School where she netted 14 points on six made field goals, sinking two shots from behind the arc. Classmate Leandre Pestcoe ’19 has been a steady force as well, contributing 4.7 points per contest. Newcomer Griffin Pitt ’21 has shown great potential in the post, scoring 12 points against Delaware Design-Lab while adding nine points against conference opponent Wilmington Friends.

BOYS SQUASH

BOYS BASKETBALL

CAPTAINS: Andrew McArthur ’18, Mac Nicholson ’18,

CAPTAINS: John McKee ’18, Akeem Martindale ’18,

Graham Nielsen ’18 The boys squash team returned 11 of the 12 varsity players on the 2016-2017 roster that won the US Squash Division V National Championship, so expectations were high going into the year. Led by a strong core of seniors, the team didn’t disappoint.

Competing in the highly competitive Mid-Atlantic Squash Association, the group was able to overcome a number of teams that they lost to the past couple of years, including wins against Radnor High School, the Episcopal Academy junior varsity team, and the Conestoga High School B team. The highlight of the year was a 5-4 win over Episcopal High School.

The team ultimately finished 8th in Division IV at Nationals in Philadelphia.

Head coach Taylor Foehl noted, “This was by far the strongest group of seniors that I’ve been able to work with in my four years at St. Andrew’s. Captains Mac Nicholson, Andrew McArthur, and Graham Nielsen have given so much to this program over the past two or three seasons, and the depth of the class is extraordinary. We’ll miss all of the seniors next year, but there’s a strong group of underclassmen who are coming up behind them.”

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Adrian Watts ’20 The St. Andrew’s boys basketball team currently stands at 4-12, defeating Wilmington Christian, MOT Charter High School, Delaware Academy of Public Safety and Security, and Tower Hill. The Saints are led by small forward Adrian Watts ’20 who affects the game in a variety of ways through his scoring and rebound. Watts, averaging 14 points and six rebounds per contest, also leads the team in steals and is second in blocked shots. Classmate and floor general Lamar Duncan ’20 contributes 13.7 points per game while also dishing out a teamhigh 34 assists (3.1 per contest). Akeem Martindale ’18, John McKee ’18, and Nnamdi Chima-Anyanka ’19 have proved to be a reliable front court and are instrumental to the team’s success defensively, as the Saints only allow 50.9 points per game. l

For more fall sports stories, visit standrews-de.org/scores.

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Kelsey Barolak ’13 After graduating from Harvard in 2017, Kelsey Barolak ’13 is now rowing for the Cambridge University Women’s Boating Club. “Other than the Olympics, rowing for Cambridge is as close to professional rowing as it gets,” said St. Andrew’s boys crew Head Coach Will Porter. Kelsey rows in the Cambridge varsity four, which in November 2017 won the Head of the River Fours Regatta, held on the River Thames, by 11th lengths and 23 seconds. More recently, Kelsey sat in the five seat of the winning Cambridge eight boat during trials for the annual Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race. At Cambridge, Kelsey is working toward her MPhil in social and developmental psychology.

At Harvard, Kelsey rowed in the women’s first varsity eight during her sophomore and junior years, and with that boat won the Eastern Sprints Regatta in 2015 and 2016, and the V8 Petite Final at the Ivy League Championships in 2016.

Hannah Beams ’17 & Emma Wheeler ’15 Hannah Beams ’17 and Emma Wheeler ’15 both row in the Bates College women’s varsity 8, and their boat won the Head of the Charles Regatta on October 22. The Head of the Charles is the world’s largest regatta; the Bates V8 placed first out of 26 boats, and set a new course record for women’s collegiate eights at the regatta. The Bates women’s crew team are the defending NCAA Division III champions, and this is the second time in program history the Bobcats take home the Head of the Charles Women’s Collegiate Eights title.

Janée Dennis ’14 Cornell women’s basketball guard Janée Dennis ’14 scored a career-high 24 points in play against Lafayette College on November 28. Per an article on the Cornell Athletics website, “Dennis accounted for all of the Big Red’s three-pointers in the game, going 8-of-9 from beyond the arc, just one off the school record held by Keri Farley who went 9-for-9 vs. Georgetown on December 20, 1993. Dennis filled out the stat line with five rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block.” During her four years of play at Cornell, Janée has accrued a 35.4% three-point shooting percentage.

At St. Andrew’s, Janée served as captain of the girls basketball team during her senior year, and played in the 2014 Delaware Blue-Gold All-Star basketball game, which highlights the top 30 male and female players in the state.

Susannah Donoho ’13 This past June, Susannah Donoho ’13 was named to the 2017 Division III AllAmerica Second Team boat by the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association.

Susannah, who graduated from Colby College last spring, spent her senior year there as coxswain of the women’s varsity 8, and her junior year as coxswain of the men’s varsity 8. The Colby women’s rowing team finished their 2017 season ranked 11th in the country in Division III after taking 11th place at the National Invitational Rowing Championships (NIRC).

At the close of her senior season, Susannah was also named to the NIRC All-Stewards Team, the NIRC All-Academic Team,

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and the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) Spring All-Academic Team. At St. Andrew’s, Susannah was a member of the girls crew and cross-country teams.

Andy Grabis ’13 Also in June 2017, St. Andrew’s lacrosse alum Andy Grabis ’13 was recently named to the U.S. Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Scholars All-American Team for his defensive play at Dickinson College. As part of this recognition, he was also invited to play in the USILA/Nike North-South Senior All-Star Game.

Grabis was a member of the varsity lacrosse team for all four of his years at Dickinson, and started 30 of 31 games over the last two seasons. According to a Dickinson Athletics website article, “Grabis capped his career with another great season as a staple on the Dickinson Red Devil defense, and developed into an outstanding long pole defenseman. Grabis’ stick handling proved to be a valuable asset on clears and in tight games, while his senior leadership showed equally as valuable this season.” While at SAS, Grabis received the 2013 Coaches Award for his play on the Saints varsity lacrosse team.

Sam Gowen ’14 Williams College defensive lineman Sam Gowen ’14 received the Belvedere Brooks Memorial Award at the 2017 Williams football team awards dinner.

The Belvedere Brooks Memorial Award is the oldest Ephs football award, and was created in 1919 in memory of Captain Belvidere Brooks, who was killed in action in France on August 21, 1918. The award is presented at the close of the football season by the President of Williams College to the member of the football team whose playing during the season has been of the greatest credit to the College. In his four years playing on the Williams defensive line, Sam contributed 74 total tackles, averaging nearly three tackles per game and three sacks per season. The 2017 Eph team posted a plus six-win season (6-3) in the first year of the NESCAC’s nine-game season.

Bobby Moffitt ’12 In late September 2017, SAS crew alum Bobby Moffitt ’12 competed in the World Rowing Championships as a member of the US Rowing Senior National Team. Bobby was named to the national team earlier this year, and competed in the men’s four in a thrilling men’s semifinal race at the World Championships. Rowing against Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, France, and defending Olympic Champions Great Britain, the U.S. boat missed moving on to the finals by just half a length.

In 2016, Bobby competed in the World Rowing Championships as a member of the Under-23 National Team men’s eight. In 2015, Bobby won gold in the intermediate four with coxswain at the US Rowing Club National Championships. After beginning his rowing career at St. Andrew’s (he is seen here on Noxontown Pond), where he also swam and ran cross-country, Bobby went on to row for Dartmouth from 2012 to 2016, and was captain of Dartmouth’s heavyweight crew his senior year. •

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Boys basketball Head Coach Terrell Myers and Akeem Martindale ’18 watch Charlie Cahill ’19 go for a layup in practice.

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The varsity wrestling team posed for a group photo after the Westtown Wrestling Tournament on December 8. In the front row, left to right: Owen Schneider ’21, who took third place at 120 lbs., Brando Leggott ’18, who took first place at 160 lbs., and AJ Ayres ’19, who took second place at 182 lbs.

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St. Andrew’s Indoor Soccer League (more commonly known as SAISL) has been heating up the Old Gym with competitive matches this winter; here, Team Choco Taco battles Baylen’s Team.

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Saints swimmers cheer on their teammates in a home win against Tatnall on January 9.

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Andrew McArthur ’18 battles his Hill School competitor in the Durkin Fleischer Squash Center on January 15…

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… As does Hanna Soulati ’18. Both the boys and girls squash teams beat Hill 5-4.

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The girls varsity basketball team enjoys El Diablo Burritos after their game against Wilmington Friends on January 9.

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After spending the day working with instrumental music students, the Hermitage Piano Trio performs in Engelhard Hall on January 13. You can watch or listen to their performance at standrews-de.org/livestream. The trio’s visit to campus was made possible by the endowed Haroldson Music Fund, established in 2012 by Katherine and John Haroldson in honor of their daughters, Sarah ’09 and Katherine ’12; the fund provides students with an annual masterclass and guest performance by renowned string ensembles.

2 Students learned the process of batik—an Indonesian method of hand-

printing textiles using hot wax and paint—in an “Allyship Through Art” workshop that was part of the School’s MLK, Jr. Day equity and diversity program. Read more about that event on page 18.

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Yash Patel ’21 experiences a St. Andrew’s rite of passage—learning to throw a pot in the ceramics studio.

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4 In December, the Andrean Ensemble (formerly known as the

Choral Scholars) and Noxontones traveled to the City of Brotherly Love to perform with the Orpheus Club—the oldest men’s chorus in the country—at the Philadelphia Academy of Music 2017 Christmas Concert. Noelle Yoo ’18 also joined the singers on violin for “Carol of the Bells.”

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As seen on @ForbesTheatre: winter musical thespians rehearsed their choreography for “Elegance” from Hello, Dolly!

6 Charles Sun ’21 performed in a revue of “theatre and dance through the ages” with his fellow III Form students taking Intro to the Arts.

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Christmas at St. Andrew’s The Nutcracker * Jazz Ensemble A Service of Lessons & Carols

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Sylvia Play by A.R. Gurney

Performed Sunday, February 25, 2018

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Hello, Dolly!

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WE HAVE TO HELP Student Vestry Raises Funds for St. Andrew’s Family Affected by Hurricane Maria

hroughout the fall and winter, the St. Andrew’s student vestry worked to raise funds and collect goods for the family of Dining Services employee Ana Rivera. Rivera’s stepdaughter and three stepchildren moved from Puerto Rico to Delaware in early December; the family lost their home and most of their possessions in Hurricane Maria, and will live with Rivera for the foreseeable future.

The Sunday before Rivera’s family arrived in Delaware, vestry leaders presented Rivera with cash donations, gift cards, household goods, and apparel that had been given by St. Andrew’s faculty, staff, students, and families.

We had already donated to hurricane “This family is literally traveling here with the clothes that they have on their backs and what they can carry,” relief earlier in the year, through the explained Vestry Senior Warden Haden Cunningham Episcopal Church, but Ms. Rivera made us ’18. “So we’re just trying to support them as much as we can through giving money, giving clothes, and helping to realize that this is something that’s directly establish them in their new home in Delaware.”

The vestry raised funds and donations through a affecting the St. Andrew’s community. variety of means. Proceeds from St. Andrew’s annual Turkey Trot footrace and its associated bake sale went wholly to the Rivera family; students paid three dollars to enter the race (top runners received a “coupon” for rides into town), and faculty baked goods for a post-race bake sale. Faculty and staff could also make donations directly to the vestry on race day, and Head of School Tad Roach and Dean of Teaching and Learning Elizabeth Roach made a matching gift equal to the total funds raised by the Turkey Trot. The vestry also held donation drives during the month of November for new and gently used books, toys, games, clothes, and coats.

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“When [Associate Chaplain] Mr. DeSalvo shared the story of Ms. Rivera’s family with us, we just jumped on it,” said Warrington Webb ’18, who serves as the vestry’s Junior Warden.

“Originally, we were planning on giving the proceeds from the Turkey Trot to Family Help, Inc. [a Middletown nonprofit that provides support and housing to families in crisis], but then we shifted and started throwing all our resources at this opportunity.”

“We dropped what we were doing, and we said, ‘We have to help,’” Haden added.

Beyond participating in and assisting Chapel services, the vestry’s primary function is to fundraise for local and national charities. “Most of the work the vestry does is fundraising for causes outside the St. Andrew’s community,” Haden said. “We familiarize ourselves with the organizations that we’re giving to as much as we can, so that we can make sure that the funds are being put to their best use. We had already donated to hurricane relief earlier in the year, through the Episcopal Church, but Ms. Rivera made us realize that this is something that’s directly affecting the St. Andrew’s community.”

“I think one of the good things the vestry does is to try to engage the entire community to give back,” said Vestry SecretaryTreasurer Claire Miller ’18.

“This [effort] was more personal because it’s a member of our community. I think that made it that much more special to have all of these donations coming in.

There was a lot of excitement around this.”

“People were really excited for the Turkey Trot,” Haden agreed.

“We had a lot of buzz and a lot of people ready to help. It’s been so fun, getting the whole School to participate and be excited about the projects that the vestry is undertaking.”

The vestry’s work inspired other students and faculty to hold their own fundraisers for the Rivera family. The V Form Council held a candy cane fundraiser, through which students could purchase and send candy canes to one another; the funds were used to purchase Christmas gifts for the three children, who are five, three, and one years old. Faculty also gathered donations so that Ms. Rivera’s stepdaughter could do her own Christmas shopping for the children.

“One of our goals this year is to ingrain the act of giving in the student body in as many ways as we can,” Haden said. “Giving is not just fiscal— there are all kinds of contributions that you can make that are beyond fiscal donations.

For example, we had people who came out to run in the Turkey Trot, people who baked, people who volunteered during the race, people who announced the runners, and all were people helping this cause in ways that go beyond giving money. The student body really stepped up to this.”

Haden and Warrington, both VI Form students, got involved with the student vestry early on in their St. Andrew’s careers. “I was put in the Hutch Advisory [that is, the advisory of Chaplain

Jay Hutchinson] during my first year at St. Andrew’s, and he kind of coaxed me to join the vestry,” Warrington recalled. “The seniors on the vestry that year were the kind of senior leaders I wanted to emulate, so I joined, and loved it, and haven’t looked back since.”

“I’ve gone to the Episcopal church my whole life, and I was the youth member of the vestry at my church back home, during my freshman year of high school,” Haden explained. “One of the big pulls, for me, to St. Andrew’s was its Episcopal affiliation. I knew that the vestry here was something I wanted to be a part of early on.”

Conversely, this is Claire’s first year on the vestry. “I don’t really have a huge church background, so before I came to St. Andrew’s, I wasn’t really aware of what a

Claire Miller ’18, Ana Rivera, and Haden Cunningham ’18

vestry even was,” Claire noted.

“It’s opened my eyes to all the great things the Episcopal Church does—the whole service aspect and giving to others is just a really cool thing. I so enjoy being a part of it.”

“Claire’s getting confirmed into the Episcopal church,” Haden added with a smile. “We’re very proud!” l

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Students enjoyed gingerbread house-building and decorating in the Dining Hall on December 9.

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Peter Geng ’20 released some stress in his Wellness class just before Winter Break; Dean of Student Life Will Robinson led an activity in which students labeled eggs with the things that were on their minds, then threw the eggs at a stand of trees on the trails.

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Noxontown Pond froze over this January during the bitter cold snap experienced by most of the East Coast at the beginning of the year. Here, members of the Class of 2018 had a Saturday morning of fun on the ice (the School did not have quite enough ice skates to go around).

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The IV Form girls of Upper Moss are dressed and ready for Wednesday night dinner and Chapel.

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The Robinson Advisory competed against the Roznowski Advisory in a “bake-off” in early December; here, members of the Robinson Advisory display their chocolate cake, topped with from-scratch nougat made by Nam Nguyen ’18 (in the backwards cap), before entering the fray. The Roznowski Advisory’s Milky Way blondie won the competition.

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The residents of Baum Corridor hosted their “First Annual” Cornhole Tournament, putting the cornhole boards of dorm parent Jenny Carroll to good use.

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Students took over the Dining Hall for the annual Carol Shout on December 15.

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How Do We Know What Good Teaching Is?

St. Andrew’s teaching portfolio project helps faculty to reflect and grow as teachers

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o the right are just a few sample ideas culled from the body of writing and reflection on teaching and learning our faculty has generated this year. That’s right—St. Andrew’s teachers don’t just hand out the homework assignments; they have their own assessments to tackle as well. In the fall of 2016, Dean of Teaching and Learning Elizabeth Roach introduced the teaching portfolio project, a year-long process in which faculty record, assess, critique, and reflect on their work in the classroom, both independently and in collaboration with each other.

“The teaching portfolio project is a way for teachers to engage in more thoughtful, reflective, proactive ways of thinking about their teaching, and documenting that,” Roach explained. “It’s a way for us to slow down and set goals for the work that we’re doing.” The objective of the project is twofold—it gives the School a way to evaluate the effectiveness of its academic program, and it gives faculty a way to engage in ongoing, on-campus professional development work.

“I see St. Andrew’s as a learning lab for teachers,” Roach said. “We have so many resources here on campus, and so many great teachers. All you have to do is walk out of your classroom, and into another classroom to observe, and that’s professional development. As Dean of Teaching and Learning, my focus has been to encourage all of us to constantly be using these resources—other faculty, other classrooms, other perspectives—to help us develop and grow as teachers. The portfolio project gives us a tool to do this work.”

This is the second year faculty have participated in the portfolio project, which consists of a series of assignments and reflections spread over the course of the school year (see sidebar on next page). Faculty choose a colleague with whom they partner throughout the year, trading classroom visits and collaborating on particular assignments. Each assignment is reviewed by the faculty member’s department chair and Roach, and faculty meet

“I would like the mantra, ‘it’s coaching, not criticism,’ to be at the core of my grading philosophy going forward. The more I can coach, the more they can improve. I feel that in key moments I’ve missed the opportunity to give the most direct and insightful feedback possible, and I’d like to do better in this regard going forward.”

English teacher Pemberton Heath “I have thought, many times, of how we do all of this great collaborative work, day in and day out, in the classroom, but then we sit students down with a traditional paper-pencil test that they work on independently to demonstrate their level of understanding of mathematics, solely. I want to focus on assessment as a means of capturing not only students’ levels of understanding of mathematics through what they are able to perform, but how they interact with the members of their small groups; how they communicate mathematics; how they balance their engagement through both sharing their own insights and incorporating the input of those around them.”

Math teacher Kelly Lazar “Discovering one’s own process is an amazing thing! In many ways, this is not something that can be taught, but rather a gift you receive when you honor the hard work of creating in a consistent way—even when it feels hard and inconvenient. This is also a product of being very present when you are in the midst of creating and working through problems, being in tune with what feels right and what moves you forward.”

Photography teacher Joshua Meier

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regularly with department chairs to discuss their portfolio work.

“In order for any of these things to work and to be done well, you need accountability and followup,” Roach said. “I’ve heard from department chairs that these meetings have also been a great way for them to initiate conversations about teaching with their faculty. The assignments are entry points for conversation that you might not have otherwise.”

The teaching portfolio project was originally conceived of years ago by the School’s Academic Committee, as a way of documenting, measuring, and evaluating what happens inside St. Andrew’s classrooms—both the quality of faculty teaching and the depth of student learning. As an independent school that chooses not to offer Advanced Placement or International Baccalaureate courses, academics at St. Andrew’s are not held to any external standard.

This independence gives faculty the freedom to teach without concern for state-mandated and/or testingbased metrics—in other words, St. Andrew’s faculty don’t have to “teach to the test”—and as such, faculty are expected to invest time and effort into creating innovative pedagogies. The portfolio project creates a framework of accountability around this expectation, and a system through which feedback can be provided to teachers.

“What the portfolio project is doing,” Roach explained, “is making tangible and concrete what we often can’t quantify. We know what good teaching is, but can we put that into words? Can we measure that?

The portfolio is a response to our enduring challenge: how do we have data-driven, value-added conversations When we can use the about the complex, portfolio to turn towards subtle, life-affirming, one another, rather than and transforming skills and experiences becoming more isolated, that we’re trying to when we use it as an impart at this liberal invitation to connect rather arts high school? than a box to check, we move We don’t want in the direction of a stronger to use simplified external standards department working to that don’t meet the create a more engaged sophistication of our learning community. teaching methodologies.

We don’t want to reduce our school to a series of tests. So we’ve developed our own system of accountability

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and excellence—one that mirrors the culture of the School.”

“Without external standards, independent schools can fall victim to all sorts of complacency,” she continued. “Some independent schools have not, historically, had cultures of feedback—teachers have felt very comfortable closing their doors and just doing what they’ve always done. But there’s probably nothing more important in a school than to make sure that teachers are developing all the time.”

The project’s assignments will be tweaked each year, in response to faculty feedback, trends across portfolios, and the ongoing strategic evolution of the School. For example, in the first year’s portfolio responses, Roach noticed that many teachers had reflected on how student learning accelerated when the student herself fully and deeply committed to the learning process. This inspired a year-two assignment that asked teachers to choose one of their students (neither the strongest nor the weakest), assess how that student commits to the process of learning in the given discipline, and to come up with concrete ways to engage the student more deeply in this process.

In another year-two change, teachers were asked to visit only double-period classes, to gather ideas for how they might best utilize the longer class periods of the new academic schedule that will be rolled out in the upcoming 2018-2019 school year (see page 17).

“I’d like this to be a really creative and dynamic process,” Roach said, “so I’m excited to get suggestions from faculty. [Arts Department CoChair] John McGiff, for example, had a wonderful idea, where if you’ve done the portfolio for a certain length of time—say, five years—you could then propose a special project in lieu of the portfolio that you think would be particularly good for you in terms of professional development.”

“If we want to be serious about being a teaching academy,” McGiff said, “we have to provide support and time to our seasoned peers to pursue questions that go beyond pedagogy. How awesome would it be if we established this kind of support for our resident scholars, so that they could write and publish their ‘in-house’ thinking and research. This is critical!”

The hope that the portfolio project will be an opportunity for faculty to develop and grow as teachers seems to be bearing fruit.

“I’ve been teaching for many years, and there are moments when I feel I’m truly on top of my ‘game’—I know how to get my students to think critically on a novel, I know how their writing should be scaffolded,

How a Teaching Portfolio Takes Shape

I know how to create an open and safe space for students to think and learn,” said English teacher Neemu Reddy. “There are also moments of doubt, where I’ll feel uncertain about my teaching decisions or question my approach to a text or writing assignment. The act of writing about these successes and challenges leads me to think more purposefully and reflect more deeply about my hopes, questions, and fears in the classroom. If I notice students are not as engaged or are having trouble with the material, I am able to use the portfolio work as a space to think about meaningful changes, reflect on my progress, and consider new areas for growth.”

“To me, the value of the portfolio is that it creates a space where chairs and department members can exchange ideas about teaching and learning in an ongoing way. Often, it opens the door to a new conversation,” said Harvey Johnson, Dean of Math & Science and interim Chair of the Science Department. “And, because the medium of the conversation is text, it is possible to really reflect, to go deeper. I appreciate the portfolio assignments as tiny mindfulness alarms, inviting us to check in, reflect and prepare feedback for one another.

When we can use the portfolio to turn towards one another, rather than becoming more isolated, when we use it as an invitation to connect rather than a box to check, we move in the direction of a stronger department working to create a more engaged learning community.”

As a result of the portfolio project, Roach said, “I think that everybody is thinking more intentionally and thoughtfully about their teaching. Any time you write about something, you think about it more.

It sounds really simple, but when you have that opportunity to sit down and reflect, you go into the next phase of the year with more intentionality, objectives, and goals. It just makes a difference.”

“I’ve had so many great, even powerful conversations with teachers about their teaching because of the reflections they’ve written in their portfolios,” she concluded, “and I’ve been so impressed and energized by what I’ve read—by the openness of the faculty, and their beautiful reflections on not only what they’re doing well, but what they want to do better. It’s been amazing to see how honest and open and ready and willing they are to take their teaching to the next level. I really honor that kind of openness, because that’s the only way we grow, of course—when we recognize what we need to work on.” J

PHILOSOPHY OF INSTRUCTION—Due August 21 Write your philosophy of instruction. Include a paragraph that explains how your work connects to the mission of the School [see page 3]. Assess yourself in advance of the upcoming school year. What are your strengths and weaknesses as a classroom teacher, and what are your personal goals and objectives for your teaching this year?

FILM CLASS & REFLECTION—DUE OCTOBER 15 Work with your portfolio partner to film one of your classes. After watching your film, write a short reflection, taking note of your strengths and any aspects of the class you would like to work on.

STUDENT WORK & REFLECTION—DUE NOVEMBER 15 Choose a student who is neither your strongest nor your weakest student and submit an artifact of his/her work. Reflect on your student’s strengths and weaknesses and lay out a path forward that will build on the strengths and address the weaknesses. Assess how much this student commits to the process of learning in your discipline. How can you engage your student more deeply in this process?

CLASS VISITS—DUE DECEMBER 15 Visit two classes—one within your department and one in another discipline—and write a short paragraph about something that inspired you in each class.

COURSE EVALUATIONS & REFLECTIONS ON FIRST SEMESTER—DUE FEBRUARY 1 After reviewing your students’ course evaluations, reflect on the first semester as a whole. Identify moments of challenge and opportunity, of frustration and success, of energy and inspiration, of innovation and collaboration. In what ways have you met or not met your goals that you articulated in your Philosophy of Instruction? How do you plan to move forward into the second semester?

What is the most important indicator you look to as you think about the quality of your performance as a classroom teacher?

FILM CLASS & REFLECTION—DUE MARCH 1 STUDENT WORK & REFLECTION—DUE APRIL 1 Submit an artifact from the same student you chose in the first semester. In what areas do you see improvement? Identify the areas of weakness and/or the skills that this student still needs to master.

Reassess how much this student commits to the process of learning in your discipline. Lay out a path of success for this student for the rest of the academic year.

CLASS VISITS & REFLECTION—DUE MAY 1 COURSE EVALUATIONS & REFLECTION—DUE JULY 1 After reviewing your students’ course evaluations, reflect on your year of teaching as a whole. Identify moments of growth and success: why were these moments successful? Identify areas of your teaching that were not as successful as you had hoped: how do you want to address these areas next year? Reflect on your portfolio work as a whole and set goals for summer work and for your teaching next year.

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A M O S H A L L I N T H E 2 0 T H C E N T U RY

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Science & Math Building to Be Renovated During 2018-19 School Year Winter Review 2018 u 53

Over the course of the 2018-2019 academic year, Amos Hall—home to St. Andrew’s Science and Mathematics Departments—will undergo a major renovation. The building, first erected in 1967 and named for legendary St. Andrew’s science teacher Bill Amos, has served as an inspiring place for generations of future biologists, chemists, and engineers. And while great instruction transcends the limits of the spaces in which it occurs, new teaching styles, increased enrollment in math and science, and the simple passage of time, have made the need for updating and rethinking the building’s layout abundantly clear. The renovation aims to better utilize the building’s space, allows for more active instruction, and creates a more welcoming and practical environment for students and faculty to collaborate and learn.

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After lunch on a recent Thursday, Mathematics Department Chair Eric Finch detailed some of the process for designing and finalizing the building’s new footprint. “The original conversations about updating the building began in little fits and starts many years back,” Finch began, “and the Math and Science Departments have been involved from the start. But it wasn’t until about two years ago when architect Pam Zimmerman came on that everything got more serious. Faculty members have had regular meetings with the architects, and they’ve been receptive to our input and ideas.”

In addition to holding these meetings with architects, the Board of Trustees, Head of School Tad Roach, Chief Operating Officer Ann Visalli, and Director of Advancement Will Mitchell, the faculty drew much of their inspiration for the building’s new design by visiting and observing science and math facilities at other high schools and universities.

“The whole process of coming up with the final plans has been a big collaboration,” said Dean of Math and Science Harvey Johnson. “As someone who cares deeply about the math and science education of our students, I think the new building will be a really great and more inviting place.”

Perhaps the most noteworthy element of the building’s renovation is its more open and experiential learning-centered design. Whereas students currently work in traditional and often

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somewhat cramped classrooms, the new design features larger rooms with beautiful glass walls and a multitude of whiteboards for in-class breakout work. The layout also boasts two new biology labs, two new chemistry labs, and two new physics labs (replacing the existing single lab for each subject) with updated equipment; a new computer science classroom; labs for 3D printing and robotics; a new outdoor classroom; expanded department offices designed to encourage collaboration; meeting spaces for independent student projects; and a stunning new vestibule opening into a lobby that gives a clear view right into all of the action in the first-floor classrooms.

“The new space will feel like a place students are drawn to,” Johnson went on. “We’ll have areas for them to sit and talk and work together—and I hope that, as a result of this more thoughtful design, we’ll also feel closer and more connected as a department.

I’m excited to move in.”

One of the major issues with Amos’s current layout is the size of its classrooms, many of which are fitted with large wooden Harkness tables. These tables, while great assets in generating discussions in English and history courses, can prove cumbersome for math teachers, many of whom prefer to have their students up and working out problems on white boards in small groups. “It all sounds really simple,” Finch said. “But having more room to navigate our classroom space is going to be a godsend for our

teaching style.” He went on: “The way we teach math, it’s so much more active than it used to be.

It’s key for students to be split up into small groups.

That’s how they really learn, when they’re working together, testing ideas and sketching out ideas. If I had to choose between a room with whiteboards and no desks or one with desks and no whiteboards, there’s no contest. Class time is a time to brainstorm and work with your peers—not simply to take notes on a teacher’s lecture.”

Director of Academic Innovation John Burk, who also teaches science and math courses, spoke of his excitement for teaching in classrooms specifically tailored to their subject. “Currently, we teach two physics courses in an English classroom,” Burk began. “After the renovations, we’ll be able to teach those sections in a dedicated physics classroom, which will allow students to participate in laboratory experiments much more easily than they’re able to now. We’ll have much more whiteboard space for students to work together, and if they want to leave their work up overnight and reconsider it with fresh eyes later, the new space allows for that too.

The renovations will also free us from having to share laboratory space with another class. Faculty will no longer be teaching on top of each other and always feeling like they’re running around. They’ll have more time to break down and set up the day’s activities.”

The lack of sufficient preparation space isn’t limited to the physics classroom. Science teachers Dan O’Connell, who teaches biology, and Sara O’Connor, who teaches biology and chemistry, echoed Burk’s sentiments. “In biology,” O’Connell began, “when there’s a lab going on, the laboratory area is sometimes scheduled at the same time that a separate class is in session in the adjacent biology Winter Review 2018 u 55

classroom. So if I’m teaching in the project room, and Sara’s teaching in the main classroom, it can be a big distraction to have each of us jogging back and forth.”

O’Connor said, “So this new layout, with two lab classrooms for each science discipline, where biology and chemistry students can move more easily between their workspaces and their desks, where they can sit and write, and where every other

In the end, the reasons behind the Amos renovations are simple: the inspiring work done by St. Andrew’s math and science faculty, as well as their students, deserves an equally inspiring space. Simply stated: the work that’s done in this building changes lives. element of the space’s design is more organized, more deliberate—I’m really looking forward to that.”

In addition to better suiting the Math and Science Departments’ educational needs, the renovations will make Amos Hall a greener space with LEED certification, which designates a building as sustainably designed. The building will get a new roof, low-flow fixtures, more effective insulation, an updated HVAC system, and new windows.

“The building will be warm in the winter, cool in the spring and summer, a lot less noisy, and generally

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just a friendlier, brighter space,” Finch said. “It’s going to do so much for learning, and it’s going to do a lot for teaching.”

In discussion after discussion, faculty members could not help but express their genuine relief and excitement about their future home. The current space, all agreed, has served them and their many students well. Over the years, it’s undergone a number of less substantial updates and renovations, but this next step will take science and math instruction at St. Andrew’s to an entirely new level.

And while a year of displacement, with many teachers and classes scattered into new offices and classrooms in spots all over campus, will undoubtedly cause some stress and strain, the temporary hardships, weighed against the long-term gains, will be well worth it. “Change can be scary and stressful,” said math teacher Kelly Lazar. “But this coming year is just a speed bump in a tremendously important move forward. When all is said and done, we’ll be working in a space that’s built just for us so we can do the best work we can for our students.

We’ll be focused on how much better things are, not the year we had to wait for it.”

In the end, the reasons behind the Amos renovations are simple: the inspiring work done by St. Andrew’s math and science faculty, as well as their students, deserves an equally inspiring space.

Simply stated: the work that’s done in this building changes lives.

Take, for just one example, the story of Harvey Johnson ’97.

“Twenty years ago,” Johnson began, “when I was a senior at St. Andrew’s, I had two classes with [current science and math teacher] Eric Kemer, where

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challenging problem sets were staples. I spent endless study halls on my old couch on Voorhees working through these assignments. On the weekends, Eric showed his support and kept our spirits high—and bellies full—by acting as our de facto faculty advisor and driving a crew of us off campus to refuel at Taco Bell. On study breaks, we entertained ourselves by coming up with scientific nicknames: Daniel Kang ’98 became Exponential DK; Emily Caruthers ’98, who never missed a question, became All-Star; Kemer himself was called The Chemdawg.”

Here Johnson smiled as he paused to reflect.

“Those years, in the crucible of Amos, we were transformed: from a mixture of curiosity, interest, persistence, and resilience, to professional servants and lifelong learners.”

The guidance, support, and challenging expectations of teachers like Kemer, as well as Bob Colburn and Dave DeSalvo, shaped Johnson’s life.

Back in 1997, Johnson never could’ve imagined he’d go from a kid working through problem sets on an old couch in Voorhees to a scientist and teacher who holds a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of California at Berkeley. Just as Eric Kemer, a.k.a “The Chemdawg,” never could have imagined that, while giving up an hour of his weekend to take students into town for a bite to eat, his future colleague and the person who would succeed him as Dean of Math and Science, a kid named Harvey, from Milford, Delaware, was right there in the van with him.

This is just one story. Imagine how many more there are. Imagine how many more there will be. J

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TEACH ING & LEARN ING

A sampling of recent assignments & projects from SAS classrooms—and what students learned from them

Riley Baker ’21 I really liked the interactive aspect of the activity we did because it allowed us to see so much more in the reading. Macbeth has minimal stage directions, so it can be confusing at first glance. The tableau activity really allowed us to grasp the scene off the paper. We were specifically instructed to look at Banquo’s face during the scene. We analyzed what that character was thinking and feeling at that moment, and Mr. Porter asked us to try to guess what Banquo’s facial expression might be in that scene, knowing what he knows.

English 1 Will Porter

Right now the entire III Form is reading Shakespeare’s Macbeth (or, in [Theatre Program Director] Ann Taylor’s parlance, “The Scottish Play”). My class just finished Act II, which chronicles King Duncan’s arrival at and assassination in Macbeth’s castle. Initially reluctant to go through with his own plan, Macbeth must be convinced by Lady Macbeth to murder his liege. Upon the discovery of the body, however, Macbeth strays from the plan and also murders the two men they planned to frame for the murder, Duncan’s grooms. As Macbeth explains to an incredulous Macduff why in his “fury, that [he] did kill them,” Lady Macbeth stages a distraction by fainting.

Duncan’s sons, Malcolm and Donalbain, begin to move away from the crowd that they know must include their father’s murderer.

Banquo, who heard the witches’ prophecy at the beginning of the play yet for some reason keeps it secret, must be looking askance at his best friend. While the text offers little in the way of stage directions, it is a pivotal and chaotic moment in which every living character in the play is on stage. Thus, I ask my class to create a tableau vivant of the moment.

Throughout our reading of the play, I ask my students to be their own directors, to stage the play in their own heads. This tableau exercise gives them the chance to compare their takes on virtually all the characters in the play and justify their own choices. It also gets them up and out of their seats, which they love.

Heleah Soulati ’21 This tableau activity helped our class visualize Shakespeare’s words, and I was able to better understand each individual character through analyzing his specific actions. When I first read the scene, I only thought about Macbeth and Duncan’s sons’ perspectives. However, when all of the characters were on stage, and I had to decide how each character should be positioned and what emotions he needed to portray, it helped me understand more about the other characters. It showed me a lot about how Shakespeare develops complex characters in his plays.

Arvin Vanikar ’21 When Mr. Porter first told us we were going to make a “tableau” of a certain scene in Macbeth my initial reaction was one of confusion—I did not understand what the point of the exercise was. However, when we went through with it, it was if I was actually in the room in the play, watching things unfold right in front of me. This helped me notice the intense emotions in this scene, which I hadn’t realized before. Reading the play in a class setting and hearing different people enact certain characters and their subtleties, rather than reading the play myself, really helped me better understand the play overall.

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JiWon Park ’18

Advanced Study in Chemistry Eric Kemer

We are currently using a spectrophotometer to track the rate progression of the chemical reaction between crystal violet (C25N3H30Cl) and sodium hydroxide in order to provide clues as to its underlying molecular mechanism. The spectrophotometer measures the proportion of light absorbed by the crystal violet reactant over a range of wavelengths as it converts to a colorless product. Since absorbance can be converted into a concentration through a calibration procedure, the experiment generates concentration vs. time data from which reaction rates can be calculated.

On one hand, this is a standard “Advanced Placement” laboratory with stated goal of determining what is called a rate law. However, we are using the fact that it virtually never produces the precise “textbook” answer to turn it into a short research project aimed at revealing the experimental sources of this deviation. None of us currently know the answer. We began by hypothesizing a few possibilities and have begun testing them.

It is fascinating how the result of multiple trials appeared to deviate at first, but, in the end, resulted in values that approached what we had hypothesized.

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What makes this spectrophotometer experiment so interesting is the fact that this is a new way to look at the chemical reaction. We were able to state chemical difference before and after the reaction through what we observed, and we constructed our own equations that could explain relationships in the experiment. I have to say that of all my teachers, Mr. Kemer trusts students the most, and gives us a lot of individual time where we can experiment by ourselves. As we operated our experiments, there were times when error ranges among our groups differed. However, when we averaged our data value, we actually got close to data that other scientists have achieved. It is fascinating how the result of multiple trials appeared to deviate at first, but, in the end, resulted in values that approached what we had hypothesized.

Dylan Torrance ’18 A big part of what we have learned throughout this year in AS Chemistry is the power of collaboration in verifying the legitimacy of our findings. We begin our analysis by comparing our data, and looking for general trends and outliers. For many experiments, there are published results to which we can compare our data, and then ask the question: what happens when an outlier in our own data is close to the published data? We look at our average data, and think about what experimental errors—present in all groups—would lead to results that differ or dovetail in that manner with the published data. Without collaboration and sharing our data, we might unwisely see a data point that is close to the published data and accept it as demonstrative of an accurate experiment, but it is important to remember that even an inaccurate experiment can accidentally get the right answer in chemistry just by random chance.

T E AC H I N G & L E A R N I N G

U.S. History

Giselle Furlonge (with computer science & physics teacher John Burk) In this mini-project, we explored primary source evidence in the form of fugitive slave ads from 1781-1861 from Prince George’s County in Maryland. We asked students to review ads in the Maryland State Archives and then collect data from these ads— gender, age, date of escape—into a spreadsheet for analysis. Students broke into five groups and were tasked with answering one of the following questions: ll What is the average age of escaped men? Escaped women? ll Convert 1850 rewards (the year Fugitive Slave Act was passed) into 2017 dollars using an inflation calculator. Who was the most “valuable”? Why? ll What was the gender breakdown of escaped men and women? Do these numbers surprise you? Why or why not? ll Create a scatter plot to show the number of escaped slaves and the year of escape. What patterns do you notice? ll Investigate the locations for each fugitive slave advertisement. Consider: What is the physical distance to freedom? Compare the historic maps to current Google Earth maps.

Each group wrote a brief summary of their findings, putting the data in conversation with our recent readings and discussion of Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. We then discussed the following questions: ll Who is the intended audience of the fugitive slave ads? ll What do these ads tell us about what resistance looked like in Prince George’s County at this time? ll What information do these ads provide that the slavery narratives we have studied do not?

The post-discussion whiteboard in Ms. Furlonge’s classroom

John Burk We tried to integrate computational thinking into a history class to give students a richer understanding of slavery and slave narratives. Together, these narratives and data paint a more complete and complex picture of slavery, one that highlights the many ways in which enslaved peoples struggled against the institution, but also shows the ways in which so much of society was built upon slavery. Keeping slaves in bondage was written into laws, customs, and contracts in innumerable ways, and so it isn’t surprising we have so few stories of escape.

Hayden Messina ’21 We studied fugitive slave ads from Prince George’s County in Maryland, which is not too far from St. Andrew’s. Studying real ads gave us information that would not have been in any textbook, and the project also allowed us to discover trends ourselves. We were given guidelines to create spreadsheets, but we picked out the significant data and interpreted it in context on our own. For example, we studied the location of the county and talked about how it was only 70 miles from Pennsylvania, a free state.

By gleaning this information and learning about it ourselves, I feel that we were able to discover a lot more and dive deeper into the subject than we would have otherwise.

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T E AC H I N G & L E A R N I N G

AS English 4: Humanities History, Literature & the Contested Past

Emily Pressman & Elizabeth Roach In Humanities, we recently finished reading Junot Díaz's novel, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which engages the complex and traumatic history and afterlife of the Trujillo regime in the Dominican Republic. For a recent class, students read a chapter from historian Lauren Derby's monograph, The Dictator’s Seduction: Politics and the Popular Imagination in the Era of Trujillo. The chapter examined the coded language of both panegyric and denunciation in letters written to El Caribe, the Trujillo era’s partisan newspaper. We regularly ask students to take on the role of formal discussion leaders—of both the literary and historical sources. (Our expectation, of course, is that as a group they are always driving the discussion, but we task small groups to collaborate in order to prepare a line of questions to frame and propel the conversation.) Emma Tapscott ’18, Annie Roach ’18, Shridhar Singhania ’18, and Alex Horgan ’18 developed that day’s questions to shape the discussion and led an 80 minute conversation about Derby's argument.

Derby's book is, while fascinating, dense, scholarly reading— really more of a graduate school level source to engage. As they write their major interdisciplinary paper for this unit, students will put Díaz's novel in conversation with this and other primary and secondary sources, wrestling with how Dominican history is engaged in literature and history.

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Annie Roach ’18 Putting myself in the position of a teacher made me appreciate the attention and care that our teachers take each day to ensure that the discussion stays grounded and productive. That long moment of silence and blank stares when you ask a question that does not seem to evoke any ideas is terrifying— however, sometimes these silences can be because people are deep in thought, or figuring out how exactly to state their ideas, and it was important to remember to be patient as the class processed. Being a leader of class discussion forces us to be more active thinkers and scholars in our daily work with our texts. It also helps with the way we approach our independent papers, as we are able to frame questions to ourselves in similar ways that we frame questions to our peers. The experience helped me to take ownership of sophisticated scholarly materials, and to gain confidence in my ability to comprehend them. As a class, we have proven to ourselves that we are capable of gleaning fantastic insights from complex texts and engaging in committed work together.

Hanna Soulati ’18

Advanced Topics Tutorial in Mathematics Jon Tower

This was a really cool project because we were able to use the concepts we’d been learning about creating proofs this past quarter and apply them to more complex questions. For my problem, I worked on the “3n+1 conjecture” which basically says that if you take any positive integer and, if it’s even, divide by 2, and if it’s odd, plug it into 3n+1—either way, your answer will eventually get to 1. I think we were all challenged to use our creativity since there is no obvious way to go about the process of attempting to prove an unsolved theorem. Even though none of us were able to prove our problems, we were all able to look at the questions through new lenses by breaking them up and simplifying them, and by the end of the two weeks, we all had a much deeper understanding of our theorems.

Leo Qiao ’18

I asked ATT Math students to select and work on a problem from the book Old and New Unsolved Problems in Plane Geometry and Number Theory, by Victor Klee and Stan Wagon. As the name of the book implies, these problems consist of mathematical propositions that remain unproven. Many professional mathematicians have attempted to confirm the propositions by various methods, but to date no one has been able to construct a proof of their validity. They will give presentations of their findings, including their own work on the problem at the end of this week.

The goal of this assignment is not for our students to complete a proof, a very tall order in only two weeks, but to investigate and research the problems, in much the same manner that a professional mathematician might.

Doing this work showed me that if I really spend time on a single problem, no matter how difficult it is, I will be able to make progress.

I worked on a problem called “the perfect cuboid,” which is a box whose side lengths, face diagonals, and space diagonal are all integers. No one has ever proven that there exists such a perfect cuboid. At the first glance, this theorem looks very straightforward and simple; it involves only elements that even an elementary school student understands: a box, and whole numbers. The fact that these simple math concepts could also be a problem that has been unsolved for centuries attracted me deeply. There’s so much we as humans still don’t understand and need to explore about the universe! I was able to find my own breakthroughs on the problem, and every time I figured out a small piece, I felt as if I were a part of the advancement of human knowledge.

Doing this work showed me that if I really spend time on a single problem, no matter how difficult it is, I will be able to make progress.

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Inspiring Teachers

Women’s Network Weekend 2017 Celebrates Excellence in Education

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“This work is hard, and this work is important.

Our students deserve good teachers. They deserve good leaders. They deserve people who are going to fight for them every single day.”

S

o said Anna Hickman ’02 during an alumnae panel at St. Andrew’s annual Women’s Network Weekend, held on campus this past November. She was talking about the daily grind of her work as the pre-K principal at a charter school in

Washington, D.C. (“I try to do this every day,” she continued, “even when I’m tired and need my cup of coffee”) but she unwittingly summed up the ethos of the entire weekend.

This year’s Women’s Network conference, “Inspiring Teachers: A Celebration of Excellence in Education,” centered around the art and the act of teaching, and celebrated our many alumni (both men and women) working in education.

“One of the many ways our Women’s Network weekends inform and inspire the work of St. Andrew’s is the opportunity we have to assess and reflect on the ultimate significance and effect a St. Andrew’s education has on our alumni and the public good over a period of time,” said Women’s Network Chair Elizabeth Roach. “At St. Andrew’s, we believe that quality education is the most inspiring and affirming response for a society, culture, or country to make in an era of confusion, disarray, and division. We believe teachers and students change the world each and every day. So it was inspiring to sense, at this year’s Women’s Network weekend, the magnitude of St. Andrew’s contributions to education throughout the United States and the world.”

Alumni, parents, and friends joined students and faculty on campus for two keynote talks, a discussion panel, and more than 40 workshops on teaching and learning, all led by alumni who returned to St. Andrew’s from across the country and the world to participate in the weekend’s events.

“The theme of the weekend, ‘Inspiring Teachers,’ captured the essence of what St. Andrew’s means to us as educators,” said workshop leader Tucker Foehl ’93. “All of the participants, and so many other alums across the country, found the inspiration to become educators, in large part, from their experience as students at St. Andrew’s. It was an incredibly empowering reunion and an affirming conference for the many different paths we have taken as educators from our collective identity as St. Andrew’s alums.

Elizabeth Roach, and the team supporting her, deserve our huge thanks for creating the Women’s Network and offering such an important reunion.”

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PANELISTS

“How do we tell this unmeasurable and powerful story of St. Andrew’s and its great legacy: the cultivation of a tradition of excellence in teaching that literally touches, informs, and inspires the lives of tens of thousands of students across the country and the world?” said Roach at the close of the event.

“One way is to tell the story of this weekend and the extraordinary people who congregated on this campus, took time out of their busy personal and professional lives, and travelled from California, Colorado, Texas, Florida, New England, Colombia, and everywhere in between to connect with the students of today.”

“What an amazing 36 hours!,” said attendee Sis Johnson P’11. “With informative and inspiring programs, new and renewed connections, as well as meaningful individual conversations, the Women’s Network has created a uniquely worthwhile platform for a reunion. My daughter Alice ’11 and I were delighted that we could participate.”

“Definitely an inspiring gathering,” agreed presenter Carly Schneider ’98. “I remain daily grateful for all St. Andrew’s has given me and continues to give me.”

Niki Smith ’90

Director of Academic Programs Prep for Prep New York, NY

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Tammy Small ’93

Dean of Admissions & Enrollment Oliver Scholars New York, NY

Hadley Roach ’07

The weekend kicked off with a keynote talk by Chloe Taft Kang ’01, which she delivered in the duPont Memorial Chapel on Friday afternoon. In her talk, titled “How Steelworkers Taught Me the ABCs and Other Lessons from the Rust Belt,” Taft Kang shared the unintentional lessons she’s gleaned from the ethnographic research she has conducted among steelworkers in Bethlehem, PA—research that formed the basis of her dissertation for her Ph.D. in American studies. Taft Kang recalled, “The big question that brought me [to Bethlehem] was: How does a former industrial community make sense of massive economic change? I lived in the community full time for six months and visited frequently over several years. Though I went to study the lived experience of economic transition, I found that learning is itself a lived experience, and is a messy, nuanced, and sometimes uneasy one. One of the most important lessons I learned was about the ways in which education expands far beyond normal institutions, beyond test scores and diplomas.”

Dean of Curriculum & Instruction Seventh Grade English Teacher North Star Academy Newark, NJ

Frances Ramirez ’03

Senior HR Generalist Comcast Cable Communications Philadelphia, PA

Kathryn Orfuss ’07 Instructional Coach Fifth Grade English Teacher North Star Academy Newark, NJ

On Friday evening, Emer O’Dwyer ’92 delivered the weekend’s second keynote address in Engelhard Hall. In her talk, titled “‘Something Precious in Every Place’: History as Preoccupation and Profession,” O’Dwyer explored the larger lessons she hopes students glean from the East Asian studies courses she teaches at Oberlin College. “What do I hope students will take away from my classes?,” she asked. “What can we hope for students to retain from one forcredit course in a college career of some 32 or more courses?” Using four primary source documents she teaches in her East Asian history survey course, O’Dwyer encouraged students to “celebrate the power of your mind, as the 12th century monk Eisai would have you do.”

Joy McGrath ’92

Chief of Staff, Office of the President Yale University New Haven, CT

Anna Hickman ’02

PreK Principal Ingenuity Prep Public Charter School Washington, D.C.

CHLOE TAFT KANG ’01

Taft Kang received her Ph.D. from Yale in 2014, and currently serves as a lecturer at Lake Forest College, outside of Chicago. She is the author of From Steel to Slots: Casino Capitalism in the Postindustrial City.

“I left campus on Saturday afternoon completely reinvigorated and hopeful about a future being influenced by so many incredible educators,” said Taft Kang after the fact. “It was especially energizing to get to talk to students and to sit in on classes led

by Elizabeth Roach and [history teachers] Emily Pressman and Melinda Tower. I was so impressed with how students thought through big issues in such a supportive classroom environment, and how faculty encouraged several light-bulb moments— about race, memory, genocide, inequality, and the underbelly of social consensus.”

“I was so impressed with how students thought through big issues in such a supportive classroom environment, and how faculty encouraged several light-bulb moments—about race, memory, genocide, inequality, and the underbelly of social consensus.”

“Trust in and marvel at all that a mind can do,” she continued. “This includes completing tough problem sets and memorizing French vocabulary, but also providing the capacity to do anything.

Really anything! You cannot even know, rationally, how powerful your mind is!”

Grace Gahagan ’10

Graduate Student Teachers College, Columbia University New York, NY

Giselle Furlonge ’03 Dean of Diversity Education Classics Department Chair St. Andrew’s School

Jennifer Cuervo ’06

Licensed Bilingual School Counselor New Heights Middle School New York, NY

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A Sampling of

Women’s Network Workshops Finding Work that Matters: Education as Activism NICOLA FLEISCHER ’07 AND KATE HARDWICK ’07

From Chapel Talks to China: Adventures in International Education

O’Dwyer also extolled the value of discussionbased classrooms, literature as a tool for teaching empathy, and learning new languages. “When we study other languages, and learn unusual—at least to us—and novel turns of phrase, we exult in the million different ways human brains work in enabling us to communicate,” she said. “We grasp the delicacy and strength of the human form and what it can achieve.”

On Saturday morning, students, faculty, and guests gathered in Engelhard Hall for a panel discussion with alumnae, all of whom work or have worked in education. Each spoke briefly about his or her professional journey and experiences working in education, and then took questions from students.

ASHLEY GOSNELL ’02

Challenges and Opportunities in Higher Education JOY MCGRATH ’92

Teaching Civics in a Divided America DREW MEYER ’86

Leadership from the Classroom to the Capitol Building: Direct vs. Indirect Impact in Education & Finding Your Place SEARCY (MILAM) MORGAN ’02

Teaching as a Creative Act in the Digital Age CHRIS ODDEN ’86

Practical Tools for Difficult Conversations ROBBIE PENNOYER ’01

Dissent in American History and Why It Matters ASHTON RICHARDS ’78

Engaging Pop Culture in the Classroom: Chance the Rapper, Lemonade, and Rick and Morty MATTHEW ROACH ’04

After the panel, students, faculty, and guests dispersed throughout campus to attend more than 50 workshops hosted by both male and female alumni. Workshop topics were wide-ranging.

“What a pleasure and privilege it was to be back at St. Andrew’s for the weekend,” said Alexandra von Raab ’91. “I loved seeing how much the School has changed and stayed the same. The conversation with the students in my group was the highlight. The School’s policy on technology is working well. All of the students in my group talked about making connections and eye contact with other kids, and literally spoke of overcoming their phone addictions.

St. Andrew’s has evolved but still has the ethos I remember and love.”

“I felt inspired and buoyant all week after an amazing return home to St. Andrew’s last weekend,” said Katie Forrestal ’94. “It was wonderful to interact with the students, to reconnect with classmates and teachers, and to meet St. Andreans with whom I did not overlap.”

Power of Perception: Unpacking and Addressing Unconscious Bias TAMMY SMALL ’93

What Will It Mean to Be Human in the Face of Emerging Biotechnologies?

JULIO TUMA ’87

You can read a full list of workshop descriptions and participant bios at

standrews-de.org/WN2017

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“To our alums in education: my heart is full of gratitude,” Roach said at the close of the weekend. “I am overwhelmed and touched by your commitment to St. Andrew’s and by the gifts of empathy and compassion you give to those you inspire every day.

Thank you for your important and immeasurable work. Thank you for being part of our inspiring teachers story.” J

Keynote Speaker EMER O’DWYER ’92

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ALUMNI PROFILE

From the Dining Hall to Silicon Val ey

Penn Daniel ’07 on his work with tech startup DoorDash When he was a student at St. Andrew’s, Penn Daniel ’07 never thought about working in technology—but plans change. He captained both the lacrosse and football teams and served as class president at St. Andrew’s, and went on to attend the University of Virginia, where he earned a degree in American history. Today, Daniel is bringing that background in humanities and liberal arts to the world of startups and tech—and it is making all the difference. We caught up with him to hear more about how his educational path and a job at ESPN eventually led him to his current position as Strategy & Operations Manager at the on-demand delivery service DoorDash.

JS: How did you get your start working in tech?

PD: In January 2015, tech was starting to take off and I was getting cabin fever on the East Coast. I moved out west with all of my stuff and was staying on a friend’s couch while fanatically researching companies in the Bay Area. This little food delivery startup called DoorDash kept popping up. The founders were based in an old animal hospital of Palo Alto. They had just graduated college, but they had a promising value proposition and had received promising funding from venture capital firms.

You mentioned the career change.

Where were you working before DoorDash?

by Joshua Speers ’09

Before DoorDash I was a producer on "Pardon the Interruption" on ESPN. I would scan headlines for compelling content, pick out stories and stats and angles, and then sell them to our hosts, Tony and Mike. Chaos would generally ensue, and then we'd make sense out of the chaos by 5:30 PM EST. "PTI" was one of the few shows I grew up watching, and to be in the newsroom every day debating, joking, and learning from the best in the business was a real treat.

But not what you were looking for?

As much as I loved my job at ESPN, I wanted to learn how to run a business, and I knew that wouldn't happen if I stayed in TV. Startups were an opportunity to quickly gain that experience.

Did you have any prior experience with food delivery?

My prior food experience was bussing food in the Dining Hall, inevitably dropping the tray like somebody always does, and then of course getting applause.

That was basically it. As you might imagine, that moment did not cultivate a passion for food delivery in me [laughs].

To me DoorDash wasn’t really about food. To me it was a great group of very smart, very driven people that had a good idea in place, but an idea that was not something brand new. I mean food delivery has been around for a long time, but it’s a very hard problem to solve.

You came to the tech world with a mostly liberal arts background—did that work for you or hinder you in trying to solve this problem?

It definitely worked. When I was hired, I was looking at the two founders who were just incredibly bright guys. They were literally rocket scientists; they could build a fighter jet, but had absolutely no clue how to fly it.

The founders hired me to launch new markets for the company.

When I arrived, they had four markets. They wanted 25 by the end of the year, and they wanted me to go on the road to do it. So I went to these cities to meet with restaurant and business owners

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things normal offices do. It's been rewarding to see a community grow as a result.

That is crazy. Did you have a plan for how to expand like that?

Well, we started out with a plan, but in startups, your plan might be perfect one day and fall apart the next. We had to be comfortable operating with a lot of gray area day-to-day. DoorDash still has a tremendous growth opportunity in front of us, and we're buckling down to make that growth a reality. A lot of roll your sleeves up, get it done, find a way.

The “roll your sleeves up,” “get it done,” “find a way,”—that feels very St. Andrew’s.

and try to convince them to use our product. We were looking at it from the angle of: How do we build out a logistics network to deliver anything? We were trying to build a kind of “FedEX for the last mile.” We were promising the customer delivery in under 45 minutes. That means making sure the customer, the driver, and the merchant are all coordinated.

This kind of interdisciplinary work is exactly what the liberal arts is all about.

At SAS you were the president of your class, in college you were the president of campus Greek life, and in both places you cultivated community.

Have you found community through your work?

Finding community was really hard because I was out on the road alone a lot of the time.

My best friends at the company became the people that were out there doing this work next to me. Eventually, we grew our office enough to start a kickball league, have a Christmas party—

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Yes it does, it really does. Honestly, one thing from St. Andrew’s that really prepared me for the world was playing middle linebacker at 145 pounds. Being completely undersized and just getting tossed around and saying, “Well, we're going to figure this out. We're going to do this. Because I care about my teammates, I care about the football team.” You're essentially tapping back into that

and saying, “I know I've got this drive in me somewhere,” and finding it, despite being told by countless restaurants, “You guys will never succeed. You guys will never do this.”

Would you say SAS has the makings of a budding tech hub?

Without a doubt. I have learned that tech is about problem solving and about knowing how to present an argument in an articulate way. You're essentially bringing data to the table to make arguments. You have an argument, you present a counter-argument, and you present evidence to support your argument—except instead of quotes from Pride and Prejudice, your evidence is data.

All businesses depend on building these kinds of arguments, but especially so in tech.

Can you a hire a Dasher in Middletown, Delaware to bring you Nino's Pizza?

You cannot. But I know for certain the first thing that would be on there: I'd run a promo with free garlic knots just right off the bat, and just say, “Look, everybody needs this.” l

standrews-de.org/toasts

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St. Andreans Gather for Dedication of the New Wall of Honor

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CAN’T HELP BUT CONNECT

On Veterans Day 2017, St. Andrew’s recognized alumni veterans and dedicated a new Wall of Honor in the School’s existing War Memorial Room. The Wall of Honor, a nine-panel bronze plaque, was the brainchild of three students from the Class of 2016—Ryan Bellissimo ’16, Anton Delgado ’16, and Juliette Neil ’16—and recognizes all SAS alumni veterans who have given any level or degree of military service to their country. The names of over 600 St. Andrew’s alumni, spanning class years from 1934 to 2011, have been etched into the bronze plates that make up the Wall of Honor. The War Memorial Room’s blue frieze (originally painted in 1957) has also been updated to include battles of Korea and Vietnam and the campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The ceremony and dinner were attended by almost a hundred alumni veterans and service men and women, spanning the 1940s through 2011. Prior to the dedication Retired Admiral Dennis Blair ’64 spoke in Forbes Theatre. His remarks follow.

Thank you, St. Andrew’s, for honoring the military service of your alumni. Six hundred is an extraordinary proportion of the graduates of a private prep school.

They joined up under very different conditions across the 83 years since St. Andrew’s first class graduated in 1934. During World War II everyone served; during the Cold War that followed there were draft boards, and college graduates generally signed up by their own choice; after the unpopular Vietnam War, service has been entirely voluntary. Over these many years and eras St. Andreans have chosen to put on their country’s uniform. Decisions like this are always personal and unique, but I believe part of the reason that most of us served was a conviction that we owed something to our country, and our experience at St. Andrew’s played a part. It has always fostered the idea of obligation, of giving back.

We wore different uniforms, were stationed in different parts of the country and the world, or served in war, or in peace. What did we have in common and what did we learn?

We all started by surviving a tough initiation and indoctrination—boot camp. We learned endurance— how to keep mind and body going when you are beyond what you used to think were your limits.

We were part of a squad in boot camp, and it is the squad, rather than the individual that gets through every rigorous day. We learned teamwork.

St. Andrew’s has an honor concept, and it makes life here better. In the armed forces telling the truth is not some abstract ideal—it is the difference between life and death. If the squads in a firefight do not accurately report their situation, the company commander will send reinforcements and fire support to the wrong units. Soldiers will die.

The armed forces are a mixing bowl. St. Andrew’s is doing a fine job at promoting diversity, but we did not see real diversity until we joined up. Throughout our service, we were mixed up with enlisted personnel and officers alike from all over the country, from different ethnic and social backgrounds. We learned that there is no correlation between intelligence, skill, and courage on the one hand, and region, race and social class on the other. There are only sailors and soldiers you can trust to do their jobs... and those you can’t.

We made friends to a level that transcends friendships in the civilian world. We went through tough times together, shared success and failure alike, bailed each other out. Sometimes we stayed in touch,

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but even if did not, when we meet someone we served with, the years fall away, the vivid memories come flooding back, and the bonds are re-established.

I don’t want to give the impression that life in the armed forces is all grim and serious. The reputation of humor in uniform is well founded. Some of it is profane and basic, but often it is elegant and clever.

When things are going well, it is high-spirited, but often designed to deflate illusion and pretension, recognizing the thin line between triumph and disaster. When things are going badly, it is biting and defiant. Informed that he was surrounded, one general responded, “Excellent, then we can attack in all directions.”

How did that combination of an obligation to serve and give back—and patriotism that motivated most of us to join up—evolve during time in uniform?

By the end of our service, our patriotism was not the photogenic, flag-waving, saluting in a dress uniform

by strangers. In fact, we too had doubts about the purpose of the war and how it was being led. Yet we still felt an obligation to serve, and we had South Vietnamese friends who did not want to be conquered by the communist North, and they deserved help.

Since 9/11 veterans are honored for their service even as the country has come to believe that their commitment to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq has been futile. They themselves believed in the cause of rooting out the Taliban and al Qaeda, but most think the war was not well planned, directed or sustained.

And now, a smaller and smaller percentage of Americans serve in the armed forces, and they come from increasingly concentrated geographic regions and a thinner slice of socio-economic classes.

Both military service and citizenship have become more complicated. Education at St. Andrew’s can help. It should continue to emphasize service. We veterans would recommend service in the armed

kind. It became an underlying feeling of being part of a team that has an important, worthwhile, yes noble mission. Sometimes the armed forces fall short—My Lai or Abu Ghraib—but down deep we veterans believe we are serving a great country that is on the side of good in the world. When we deploy, we are defeating bad enemies like Nazi Germany, Soviet Russia, Taliban brutality or Baathist Iraq and we are helping those who cannot defend themselves, like South Vietnamese villagers, Bosnian muslims, East Timorese or Kurds.

But over those 88 years since St. Andrew’s first opened, it has been more difficult to sort out the good guys from the bad when troops are sent to fight. In addition, the close connection between the country and its armed forces that was established in World War II has come under greater strain.

For the veterans of the early 1940s the fighting was difficult but the mission straightforward and deeply supported by the country: The United States was fighting two aggressive dictatorships, and the entire country was in the fight.

For those of us of the Vietnam generation, the country was deeply divided over the war, and if we wore our uniforms in public, we were often insulted

forces. You learn a great deal about yourself, and you are filling that sense of obligation, contributing to your country. But service need not be only in the armed forces—there are many other ways to pay back.

St. Andrew’s needs to educate citizens. Our politics have become loud, divisive and partisan.

There is a risk that troops will be sent to fight when they should not by politicians who want to appear tough—or will not be sent when they should have been because of a conviction that wars never accomplish anything. We need to understand what military force can and cannot accomplish, how it must be embedded in an overall strategy based on the country’s interests and values, how to sustain public support for wars, not just the troops and their families who bear the burden. We need citizens who can recognize and support leaders who can think, speak and decide in these complicated terms.

Most of us veterans don’t need to be publicly thanked. But when an institution like St. Andrew’s, for which we have great affection and respect, takes a thoughtful decision to recognize its veteran alumni, it means a great deal. We appreciate it. l

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CAN’T HELP BUT CONNECT

Alexandra Cox ’97 published her new book, Trapped in a Vice: The Consequences of Confinement for Young People, with Rutgers University Press in January. Trapped in a Vice shares the stories of young adults and adults in the American criminal justice system, and (per the book’s blurb) “explores the consequences of a juvenile justice system that is aimed at promoting change in the lives of young people, yet ultimately relies upon tools and strategies that enmesh them in a system that they struggle to move beyond.”

“This book is based on several years of research that I did inside of New York’s juvenile facilities, as well as insights drawn from my years of work as a sentencing mitigation specialist, representing largely young people charged as adults in New York,” Cox said. “The book builds on my experiences at St. Andrew’s, where I learned to develop a curiosity about the world around me by reading, thinking, and learning about it, but also an awareness of and consciousness about the lives of teenagers who find themselves away from their homes and families, and who seek out unique ways of navigating adolescence in the context of that distance.

Trapped in a Vice focuses on the kids left behind—those who are in many ways as bright and engaged as any St. Andrew’s student, but who have been criminalized and punished, and thus face an uncertain future—and the role that residential care plays in determining that future.”

Cox is a lecturer in the Department of Sociology at the University of Essex in England. She previously served as an Assistant Professor of Sociology at SUNY New Paltz, where she ran the department’s concentration in criminology and was a Research Scholar in Law at Yale University Law School’s Justice Collaboratory. She received her Ph.D. in Criminology from the University of Cambridge and her undergraduate degree from Yale University. Read more about or order Trapped in a Vice at trappedinavice.com.

Saints in Print

We spotted Lucinda Moorhead ’02 in the November 8 issue of The Hollywood Reporter, where she was included on a list of 35 up-and-coming Hollywood executives “who will soon run the industry.”

Moorhead is an agent in the television literary department at United Talent Agency, where she represents television talent with an international focus, including Sherlock co-creator Mark Gatiss, Mary Magdalene scribe Philippa Goslett, The Punisher director Tom Shankland, Quantico creator Josh Safran, and Mulan director Niki Caro. Prior to joining UTA in 2011, Moorhead was Manager of Development at BBC Worldwide.

Per The Hollywood Reporter, “Moorhead’s alarm goes off daily at 5:30 a.m. so she can log calls to Europe, where she specializes in bringing international talent stateside. The Washington, D.C., native developed a passion for British content during her four years at BBC Worldwide Productions, where she met UTA partner Dan Erlij working on the miniseries Criminal Justice (later, HBO’s The Night Of). ‘He just kept saying to me, “You should be an agent,”’ says Moorhead, who recently wed wife Kelly Wiles, a story editor on Netflix’s Mark Burnett series Messiah. ‘And eventually I just gave in.’ The Hamilton College grad joined the agency’s lit team in 2011, parlaying her relationships with top U.K. talent into a viable domestic business.”

This spring, St. Andrew’s English teacher Will Torrey will have his essay “Say a Prayer” published in The Southeast Review, a national literary magazine distributed by Florida State University. Set over the course of an evening in Southeast Louisiana, “Say a Prayer,” is an impressionistic essay on permanence, confusion, and the strangeness of death, as well as a meditation on friendship, class, and the long-term effects of Hurricane Katrina.

This winter, Torrey’s novella, “Freedom of Movement,” was named runner-up for the FaulknerWisdom Prize, which is given by the The Pirate’s Alley Society, a non-profit literary organization based in New Orleans. In the past, Torrey has had stories and essays appear in River Teeth, The Florida Review, Colorado Review, Hobart, The North American Review, Washington Square Review, the Hawaii Review, New Madrid, and Zone 3, where his story “Trabajar” won the 2011 Editors’ Prize. l

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CAN’T HELP BUT CONNECT

Margot Waldron ’10 says, “It was great getting together with generations of St. Andreans in upstate New York for New Years!” (l. to r.) Meg Waldron ’81, Adam Waldron ’80, Molly Ayres ’20, Margot Waldron ’10, Bret Peters ’81, Lizzie Clark ’81, and Brennan Ayres ’16.

1945

1957

Marty Jones writes that her husband Gattie Jones “is still as good-humored as ever.”

George Brakeley sends this news of the Class: Bill Wood writes that Susan and Tim Bloomfield stopped at the Woods’ place in Isle of Palms, SC, last fall in their boat “Kittiwake” on their way to Vero Beach. The two couples had drinks and dinner and then the Bloomfields were on their way. “That’s what I call the living dream,” says Bill.

There has been lots of outreach from the class of ’57 to Hugh McPherson, who is battling metastatic prostate cancer.

We wish him well.

Jack Kramer reports that he and Bev are doing well. “I am still able to take care of 60-plus cows, calves, etc. One advantage is that I’m not capable of slowing down.”

Tamara and George Brakeley acquired a new grandchild in late December when Tamara’s daughter Kelsey delivered an 8-pound, 10-ounce girl named Mable Lorraine Berninger, born in Brooklyn, NY. The Brakeleys celebrated Tamara’s 70th birthday in New York in November with a fancy dinner with friends and a night at the opera Madame Butterfly.

1954 George Baxter looking dapper in his SAS blazer on his way to the Wall of Honor Dedication and Dinner at St. Andrew’s last November.

1956 John Gregory sends this update, “I am still working, sold my country home, have a cottage in a retirement cooperative. No upkeep.”

1963 Jerry Soderberg writes, “Eileen and I retired to Oak Island, NC, in 2014. All three of our children are finally married.

We are loving life at the beach.”

1965

Gattie Jones ’45 with his sons, Vance and Chas.

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A dapper George Baxter ’54.

A note from Jonathan Smith’s wife Stephanie summed up their year. Stephanie writes, “2017 was the year to celebrate reaching the Biblical allotment of three score and ten years, which we did by taking the whole family (including an almost three and almost one) to Paris at the midpoint between our birthdays. We made sure Aurora had a picture of herself at

CAN’T HELP BUT CONNECT in the quarter finals. Come visit me on your next trip to the Bourbon Trail!”

1976 Jonathan Smith ’65 and family in Paris.

every famous spot in her pop-up Paris book and we got our exercise by hauling a double stroller up and down countless Metro steps to get to them all. We had a great Airbnb on the Seine Canal for a memorable family vacation.

“It was also the year we finished any vestiges of employment and we are now both completely retired. Jon’s last hurrah was his 40th anniversary Shakespeare in England course, which I joined for a week of plays in London. We spent its Long Weekend in Santiago de Compostela, a wonderful medieval city, and walked as much of the Pilgrim trail as a bus ride out of the city could provide. We had another week of plays, this time with friends, in Stratford Ontario in August, a tradition we hope we have started. We continued our tradition of a July 4 week at the beach with Jon’s family and are resuming a tradition of a Christmas week with Stephanie’s. One event we hope will NOT become a tradition (although it was a wonderful, inspiring experience) is Stepanie’s participation in the Women’s March the day after the inauguration.

“Life when we’re home (which, despite that travelog, is most of the time) is good. We live across the street from two adorable grandchildren (!). Our children and their spouses are doing fine. We try to keep Celia (World’s Best Dog) happy, we play tennis three mornings a week, we sing with the Louisville Master Chorale, and we try to do various good works. Jon’s are mainly focused on the direct efforts to help the hungry and homeless through our downtown church. Stephanie is more on the back-office side, principally as Vice Chair at the Community Foundation and Executive Director (volunteer, though) of the Master Chorale.

“Our sweet life was interrupted once more by surgery for Jon—replacing another hip. What we thought would be a quick and easy recovery (like the last time) instead was (and still is) long and difficult. We hope by spring he’ll be back on the court and thank God he only has two hips. We look forward to 2018 with more milestones—and more mobility— to come!”

John Seabrook shares fun news from his trip overseas last summer: “The US State Department sent me on a trip to three Russian cities last June—Kazan, Moscow, and St. Petersburg—to promote Russian translations of my books, and American values in general—in my case mostly learned at SAS in the mid-1970s. Not. I was surprised to discover that 17 years after its publication, my book NoBrow is a bestseller in Russia, and my talks were packed with young Russians clutching dog-eared copies of that book. Weird, but cool.”

Marshall Kent sends greetings to fellow classmates and alumni. “I am living in Sandy Springs, GA (a north Atlanta suburb) with my wife Mary, and practicing law with Smith Moore Leatherwood LLP, where I serve on the Management Committee of the firm. Our oldest daughter Margaret recently graduated from College of Charleston, and is gainfully employed in Charleston, where we visit often. Our youngest daughter Katherine is a junior at Auburn University, and as such we have had a wonderful SEC football experience over the past few years. I continue to play tennis as often as time allows, and have enjoyed seeing fellow classmates at prior reunions and Geezerfest events. Best wishes to all for a wonderful 2018!”

1978 Garrett Hart writes in hoping to encourage his classmates to attend Reunion: “Class of 78, Reunion is Coming! I travel a good bit and I’ve seen what Reunion looks like. It’s BIG SMILES on everyone’s faces! Here's evidence from some of my travels over the last year or so. If you can’t figure out who all these people are, it’s definitely time to come back and see your classmates in person. It’s not like facing the Army of the Dead! Come back this June and be in the picture.”

1967 David Skinner sends news that, “Liedeke and I had dinner with Ned Sloan and his wife Barb in September in Philadelphia.

They were in town visiting their son who works in the area.

Ned is retired and his wife is the Financial Director for one of the Catholic Dioceses in Chicago. We hope to visit them in Chicago sometime this coming summer.

“We also keep in close contact with Barbara and Henry Ridgely, who have moved to Pennsylvania near Kennett Square.

“Liedeke and I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New Year.”

1975 Jamie Gerrish sends news: “I made a quick trip from Louisville to St. Andrew’s and was able to see the football game on Alumni Weekend, along with the Saints soccer team

The Adventures of Garrett Hart ’78

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CAN’T HELP BUT CONNECT

Tom Bauhan ’82 in Kyrgyzstan

Alison Muller writes, “Tom and I retired from our long term careers in Maryland in November, and have moved to Lady’s Island in Beaufort, SC! We are loving the area (although we were surprised with a rare snowstorm in January), and are looking forward to doing major remodeling on our new house to really make it our home. We aren’t ready to ‘be retired’ so will both be looking for jobs here, just not stressful full time ones any more. Our daughters and sons-in-law are all still in Maryland so I foresee plenty of travel back and forth. I am hoping to make it to Reunion in June!”

1982 Tom Bauhan stopped by Kyrgyzstan on the way back from work in Afghanistan. He was hosted by Lynn and Jeff Lilley and got a donkey ride and a look at some beautiful winter landscapes. Jeff writes, “We certainly welcome visitors!

Looks like classmate Pilar Wyman is the next visitor in fall 2018.”

Kevin Grandfield’s year in review: “This year Mary got an epidural, and I got a Cuban cigar! For most, this would mean a baby, but for us it means Mary had a hip replacement, and both of us went to Cuba. Mary is fine now, and the trip was amazing. I gave two presentations based on the trip this year, one on genealogy. Otherwise, this year we got to spend a lot of quality time with those close to us, which is good because we also lost some who were close to us. Next year starts with more visiting as we go to Palm Desert.

“The Cuba visit was life-changing and happened in January [2017] when it was still easy to go. It was part of

(l. to r.) Class of 1988ers: Liz and Art Butcher, Jennifer Mullins, Kellie Doucette and Lanie Thomas

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an exchange sponsored by a nurse editors’ organization to which I belong. We met some of the most warm, intelligent people. Thumbnail sketches include ‘Cubans share what we have, not what we can spare’ and ‘Enjoy my country; don’t try to understand it.’

“Soon after, Mary had her hip replaced. It had started to be intensely painful in December and everyone on the Cuba tour praised how courageous she was in soldiering through.

She recovered well and has been hiking and biking and doing yoga.

“In June, Mary’s sister Sue visited Chicago and they had some sister time after I left for my 35th Reunion at St. Andrew’s. Afterward, I visited with Uncle Bus and cousins Holly and Maureen and her son Kyle. A lovely visit made all the more meaningful because Bus passed away in August.

“In August, we reunited with the Cuba group for the nurse editors’ organization annual conference in Denver, where we also spent quality time with niece Jerilyn. Sadly, Jerilyn’s dad Larry was one of those close to us who passed away: in October.

“In September, NU friend Geoff Fenton and Diana hosted a fun dinner for the Boffeys visiting from Dubai. A couple of weeks later, they generously hosted a concert by jazz artist Gustavo Cortiñas. It was great.

“Later in September, we gathered in northern Virginia to celebrate the life of Irish’s (SAS ’79) wife Julie, who passed quite suddenly. She was dear to many and will be greatly missed. In early November, we visited with family in San Jose for Allison’s wedding. ‘Cousins’ from Canada (fellow genealogist Linda Granfield and her husband Cal Smiley) visited in November for a genealogy presentation I gave at the local library. The next week, I drove up with my mother

Members of the Class of 1988 and their current St. Andrean’s jump for joy at SAS over Parents Weekend.

CAN’T HELP BUT CONNECT

Members of the Class of 2016 celebrated New Years together in Jacksonville, Florida.

to donate an heirloom chair from the Bachman side of the family to the Hoard Museum in Fort Atkinson, WI. A family genealogist’s work is never done.

“This fall, we began volunteering for a dog shelter, Orphans of the Storm. This will help get our dog fix until we live in a place that allows us to have our own. We began getting weekly food pick-ups again from First Slice, the nonprofit that also provides meals to the needy. And we hired a cleaning woman. Our time is in peak demand for all our work, freelance, projects, etc.

“We do find time for fun, enjoying many nearby hikes and exploring suburbs as if we were tourists. (We met up with niece Cat and her husband Ted at Lake Forest’s Deerpath Inn this spring on one ‘daycation.’) We saw Lily Tomlin live this fall, and she looks and acts the same as when she was much younger. And of course, like many, we enjoy movies and TV shows from the comfort of our own couch.”

1986 Bill Brakeley sends this update, “I am currently employed by the New Canaan Public School District as a Technology Integrator and Building Tech Assistant at South Elementary School. I started this past fall and love my new career. Also, this spring I will be head coach for the freshman baseball team. I am done with the sales industry and couldn’t be happier. Who would have guessed!”

1988 Lanie Thomas writes, “Five members of the Class of ’88, unable to believe their THIRTIETH Reunion is just around the corner, convened at SAS over Parents Weekend. They believe that no other alumni class has more children at SAS (yup, seven, with several more hopefuls in the wings!). [Ed. note: Actually, the Class of 1988 is TIED for the most current legacy students with the Class of 1989!]

The young-looking crowd gloats at this accomplishment: “Later, once word got back to these parents about the genuine impact of the Class of ’88’s legacy on SAS—which includes both the Maui Wowie and the Turkey Trot, as well as others best not mentioned here—some of the gang and their kids couldn’t help but jump for joy in unison.”

1989

Children of Allison Hamilton-Rohe ’89 in front of their new house on the first day of school: Adelia is now 12 and Jacob is 9.

Allison Hamilton-Rohe writes, “We moved back to the US this past summer to Silver Spring, MD. It was motivated by a lot of things: a desire to put down roots (finally), my Dad’s health, becoming my brother’s co-guardian and the need for good schools for the kids. Our time in NL (the Netherlands) was amazing, but it was time! We found a great house five minutes from downtown Silver Spring, the kids’ schools and (so exciting!) the library! My heart swelled with pride when I heard my kids’ collective intake of breath seeing the library.

After 5 years of having to import books from the UK, the idea of being able to walk 5 mins and take out a stack of books is still a thrill! Of course, we will miss the friends we made and

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CAN’T HELP BUT CONNECT

weddings On July 21, 2017, Dan Primiani ’09 got married to his college sweetheart, Rachel Keiser, at the Cameron Estate Inn in Mount Joy, PA. The officiant was his former adviser (“the best one on campus!”) Dave DeSalvo, and also in attendance were fellow SAS alums AJ Huenke ’07 (the best man), Mike Primiani ’02 and Matthew Primiani ’05 (groomsmen), John Andrew McCown ’07, and coaching legend Bob Colburn. Dan reports “We’re now both working and living at Westtown School in West Chester, PA!” (family photo: l. to r.) Mike and Steph Primiani on the far left with their twin daughters, Emma and Lilly; Rachel and Dan; Dan’s parents, Barbara and Peter Primiani; and Matt.

the adventures we had. But, so as to not say ‘goodbye’ we will be going back to Leiden this summer for a visit.

“I’m so glad we moved home — I spent the fall visiting with my dad on hospice, finally saying goodbye to him in December. It was amazing to have the time to spend with him. I’ll forever be grateful for that. It’s not so bad to have lots of places you’re loved!”

1999 Laura Westfall sends good news, “Effective January 1, I was elected to partner at my law firm, King & Spalding LLP, where I practice Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation in the firm’s NYC office. King & Spalding LLP is an Atlanta-

Tatum Lauren ’99, Jodi (Brauner) Fernandez ’99 and Morgan Scoville ’98 at the Heights Theater for Dispatch. “Dispatch played at both of our senior year proms: 1998 and 1999.

So much fun to hear all the oldies but goodies!”

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based firm with over 1,000 lawyers in 21 offices globally.”

Congratulations, Laura!

2016 Kieran Murphy writes, “We managed to gather a great crew from ’16 in Jacksonville around New Years thanks to very generous hosting from the Egan family!”

CAN’T HELP BUT CONNECT

little ones (right, top) Peden Harris ’95 and Lindsay are very proud to announce that their son Holden Jeffrey Harris was born on October 30. Mom and Dad are over the moon. Happy and healthy, Holden has already shown a voracious appetite and and love of the evening hours. He looks forward to meeting the Class of '95! (right, middle) Daughter of John Craighill ’97, Margaret Candice Craighill arrived in Boston at 8:20 p.m. on November 16, weighing in at 7 lb, 12 oz. John reports that mother, grandmothers, and baby are doing great. (below, left) Sarah (Walter) '04 and Thomas Sander live in Annapolis, Md. with their children Olivia (3) and Thomas Michael (Mack). Sarah reports, "Olivia is loving her new role as a big sister—she is very busy helping with baby Mack who was born in November.” (below, right) Zoe Baer ’04 just moved with her husband, Eric Meibos, and son to Salt Lake City, Utah. Quinn (21 months) is excited for new adventures out west! (bottom, left and right) Sarah Unger Biggs ’04 and PJ Biggs welcomed Charlotte Laurence Biggs on July 21, 2017 (her Mama's Birthday!). They live in downtown Boston.

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In Memory At a fall trustee meeting in October, Hick

Rowland stood, without notes, at this pulpit, to reflect on his friendship with Henry Herndon, his neighbor in New Castle and predecessor as St. Andrew’s Board President. Hick did not need any notes that day because he was speaking from the heart and because he was a brilliant storyteller.

The art of storytelling, especially in the hands of someone like Hick Rowland, brings us together, connects us in powerful and unexpected ways, evokes laughter, joy, comedy, happiness, empathy, humility, and yes, sadness and tragedy.

With Hick, the art of the tale reminded us of how much time he made for each of us, how delighted he was to be with us, how much he enjoyed respecting, honoring, and celebrating everyone whom he encountered, how much he understood the power of friendship and the magic of uncontrolled laughter.

Now a Hick Rowland story had the following characteristics: ll A minor character: (struggling, waiting, journeying, suffering, enduring, questioning)— Hick himself fighting against circumstances, designed quite specifically to defeat or overwhelm him. ll A major character of one of two kinds: either one like Henry Herndon with abundant wisdom, grace, confidence, and brilliance who comes instinctively and inevitably to Hick’s rescue at the opportune time…

Celebrating a Life H. HICKMAN ROWLAND ’58

On Saturday, December 2, friends and family gathered to celebrate the life of Hick Rowland ’58, former President of the School’s Board of Trustees. Hick was elected to the Board in May 1989 and was named Board President in 1997, making him the second alum to hold this position.

Hick passed away in November. The following are Head of School Tad Roach’s remarks from the memorial service.

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Or in the most tragic comic narratives he told, the main character takes full advantage of Hick’s weakness to triumph over him.

Here is how Louise Marks, Class of 2014, summarized her dinner conversation with Hick five years ago. He told her the root beer story. Note how she perfectly captures Hick’s voice, narrative skill.

Somehow that night, he connected two very different generations. She writes:

St. Andreans are tough, as Hick Rowland ’58 reminded me Friday night. He so fondly spoke of the time he (all 68 pounds of him) walked back from town through the knee high corn stalks carrying an illegal six pack... of root beer. He remembers that trek as the most physically exhausting thing he ever had to do… And of course, when he got back there was a reward for his efforts! He drank his root beer in peace; oh wait, no, that’s not how it goes. At the end, his VI Form proctor confiscated the root beer and made him come to his room periodically to watch him guzzle it all down…

Now, the Henry Herndon story told last month contrasts the majesty, calm, and control of his friend with the bewilderment, confusion, anxiety of Hick. Before I quote from Hick’s remarkable story, let me set the scene—Hick has just become Board President; the year is 1997. Our great Head of School Jon O’Brien has greeted Hick’s appointment with a sudden decision to retire. Fortunately, Hick has learned to meet Henry Herndon (walking his dog) on the green whenever he needs advice or counsel.

Here is Hick’s classic narration of this time he said he was particularly desperate for advice: “So what did I do? I ran to my living room windows—yeah, I probably stood there an hour, but I wasn’t going to miss him. I’ll tell you that. And sure enough, here comes Henry. And sure enough, I unload upon him this devastating problem. And God bless him, he took it right under his wing.”

What strikes us about this story, of course, is the comic way Hick presented himself. This narrative strategy works so well for comic and human effect because in reality, Hick Rowland was (also) the man on the green, the person to whom we all looked for mentorship, wisdom, judgment, integrity, and stories.

Hick Rowland rose from being a II Former watching a senior drinking his root beer to the President of the Board at St. Andrew’s School. His selection and election as Board President reflected both his extraordinary service to the School: class agent, the first Alumni Term Trustee, Trustee, Chair of the Campaign for the 21st century, and his magnificent leadership in and service to the State of Delaware. He was a student under Walden Pell and Bill Cameron, a trustee as Jon O’Brien brought new warmth, community, and ambition to the School. He revered the past, but firmly believed St. Andrew’s best days lay ahead of us. He was willing to do anything to honor the place that gave him the opportunity to do literally anything in his life.

Most importantly, he was our leader because his heart and soul reflected the promise, the sacred principles of St. Andrew’s School. He was passionate about honoring the Founders and learning from our Chair Kitten Gahagan. He fought for financial aid, and especially middle class access to the School; he supported our vital cultural efforts to turn seniors into role models, emphasizing kindness, empathy, and generosity instead of mindless and arrogant hierarchy. He always made time for the staff, time for the faculty, time for the Head of School. He kept us centered—the same instincts that brought him to the water in Delaware from Wall Street (he said once to the writer David Coller that he came home

because he was “questioning the absurdity of life on the fast track”)—inspired his work with Jon O’Brien, the Board, and me.

“Anything is possible at St. Andrew’s,” he told me often, challenging us to be the best boarding school we could possibly be, not by focusing on the superficial but rather the essence of life at school— the connection between great kids and great teachers.

When we fought to make St. Andrew’s a more diverse school, Hick stood beside me through a number of stormy challenges. When the Finance Committee developed new investment strategies designed to further the School’s mission, Hick honored his fellow trustees and committee members in the face of ardent skepticism.

He envisioned and fought for the creation of St. Anne’s Episcopal School before anyone agreed or saw that the idea was a generous and important expression of St. Andrew’s commitment to a public good.

He connected seamlessly and honored the distinctive gifts of the great leaders who followed him, Kent Sweezey and Scott Sipprelle ’81. When he, as Trustee Emeritus, walked into the boardroom after a night of work on the River, the culture of our meeting changed in wondrous ways. I learned last week from teachers that everyone hoped to be sitting at a table with Hick Rowland when faculty and trustees had dinner together.

His work establishing the Seamen Center was the very expression of his human and spiritual commitment to hospitality and human rights, values he learned at St. Andrew’s.

On a personal level, he was the person who invited me and Elizabeth to succeed Jon and Joan O’Brien (I will never forget his phone call inviting us to lead), and he patiently guided us and supported us as we developed our vision for the School. He never forgot that he was my trusted mentor, through thick and thin. I always looked forward to being with him, at the University and Whist Club, or in my office. I never wanted to let him down.

Hick Rowland was a great man, a gifted leader, an exemplary trustee. He never sought the spotlight; rather, he let (and made) the light shine on his beloved school. That’s why our hearts were broken at his passing last month. We needed more stories, more reminders of the essence of our School’s promise and foundation, more conversations that made all of the difference for a new trustee, a staff member, a family member, a student, a Head of School. And so as we grieved, we started telling stories, Hick Rowland stories, and soon our hearts glowed at the presence and spirit of this extraordinary man. n

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In Memory

Sarge Bradlee ’48 Hanover, N.H. — Mr. Sargent Bradlee died peacefully following a short illness in Hanover, NH, on July 15, 2017 at the age of 87.

Sargent was born on March 19, 1930 in Manchester, MA, to Sargent and Louise.

He matriculated at Wesleyan, but had his college career interrupted by the Korean conflict. He served his tour of duty in France and returned to complete his education at Harvard, graduating in 1954. In 1959, he married the love of his life, Sally, with whom he shared 50 years of marriage. After living and working in New York City, they moved back to his beloved Manchester to raise their family. Sarge, or “Peter,” as many of his friends and family knew him, was an entrepreneur. For many years he owned and operated the Winter Hill Package Store in Somerville, MA, and was proud of his involvement with LifeRamp, a product designed to assist first responders in water rescues. In 1998, Sarge and Sally moved to Kendal at Hanover to retire, where they found many new activities to enjoy with friends and family. Sargent was an old-school gentleman, always abiding by the principles of kindness, gallantry, honor, and duty. He was an avid ping-pong player, and enjoyed golfing, poker, and watching football. Some of his fondest memories took place at Squam Lake, where he celebrated his 50th anniversary with his wife, and returned for many years. He was a generous and witty individual who took comfort both in entertaining others and sitting by the fire with the family dog in his lap. Sargent is survived by his children, Mary and Timothy; grandchildren, Henry, Emma, Oona, and Jack; and sisters, Adeline and Kitty. He was preceded in death by his wife, Sally, in 2010.

David Harned ’50

David Baily Harned (1932– 2017), first son of Mary Martha Baily and William Biechele Harned of Allentown, PA, passed away in the arms of his devoted wife, Elaine Paula Heydenreich Harned on Friday, November 10, 2017.

David was born in Allentown, PA, on June 5, 1932, and spent 85

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productive and successful years before joining his Lord and Savior in Heaven. David retired and spent his final days at Westminster-Canterbury of the Blue Ridge in Charlottesville, VA. David attended elementary school in Allentown and went on to St. Andrew's preparatory School in Middletown, Delaware. After his graduation he served as a Winant Volunteer in London, UK, a prestigious exchange volunteer program that provided David with his first exposure to another culture and fostered his love of London and travel in general, a love that he would never lose. David received his B.A. from Yale College, his M.A. and Ph.D. from Yale Graduate School and his B.D. from Yale Divinity School.

After receipt of his B.A. degree, he also studied at The University of Edinburgh in Edinburgh, Scotland.

During his educational years David received many awards, including a Rockefeller Doctoral Scholarship, a Hooker-Dwight Fellowship, a Kent Fellowship, a Sterling Fellowship, and a Fellowship from the National Council for Religion and Higher Education, amongst others.

David was ordained into the Lutheran Church of America in 1961. David was an educator his entire adult life. He taught Religious Studies at Yale University, Williams College, Smith College and The University of Virginia, where he was a Professor and Chairman of the Department of Religious Studies for 13 years until 1980, a department that he was invited to create in 1967. While at UVA he received the Phi Beta Kappa Award for most distinguished scholarly work of the year and also received the University's Distinguished Professor Award, amongst many others. As a part of his role as Chairman in 1969, David was one of only ten Westerners invited to India for the 500th Anniversary celebration of the Sikh religious tradition, where he received funds from Prime Minister Gandhi to personally travel throughout India. David was also a key academic administrator serving as President of Allegheny College and Dean of the Arts and Sciences at Louisiana State University, where he also served at both institutions as a Professor of Religious Studies.

David has served as a visiting Professor or Fellow at many other academic institutions including The University of Edinburgh, Princeton University and Punjabi University in Patiala, India. David was a prolific writer with countless articles and publications.

He also authored several books, including: Creed and Personal Identity; Images for Self-Recognition; Faith and Virtue; Grace and Common Life; The

Ambiguity of Religion; Theology and the Arts; Secularization and the Protestant Prospect; Patience: How we wait upon the world; and, most recently, Strange Bedfellows and Mrs. Gandhi’s Guest, which he co-wrote with his wife, Elaine.

David is survived by his wife of 56 years, Elaine, whom he married on July 1, 1961; and his two sons, Christopher and Timothy, and their beloved wives, Elizabeth and Marla. David was also blessed with five grandchildren, Ellie, Kit, William, Alec and Milena. In addition, David is survived by his brother, Joseph and his wife, Antoinette, along with their children and grandchildren. Burial will take place in Northfield, Massachusetts at the convenience of the family. At David’s request, all memorials should be guided toward helping to feed and clothe the less fortunate, specifically to the Blue Ridge Area Food Bank, Box 937, Verona, VA 24482, or the Westminster-Canterbury Fellowship Fund, 250 Pantops Mountain Road, Charlottesville, VA 22911.

Richard J. Corbin ’51 Dr. Richard Johnstone Corbin died on December 16, 2017 at his home in Jackson, GA. He was born on October 6, 1932 in Savannah, GA, the son of Gawin Lane Corbin and Kathleen Culbertson Corbin.

Richard spent his youth in Savannah before attending St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, DE, from which he graduated in 1951. He graduated from Sewanee, the University of the South in 1955 with a BA in English, having been actively involved in athletics at both institutions. At Sewanee he served as President of the Blue Key National Honor Service Fraternity, was a member of the Order of the Gown, the Honor Council, the Red Ribbon Academic Society, Phi Delta Theta Fraternity, and the Wellington Society, in addition to serving as a Proctor. Following graduation, he served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force, before returning to academia as a teacher at Sewanee Military Academy. He continued his education at Tulane University in New Orleans, obtaining both his MA in 1960 and his Ph.D. in Philosophy in 1973.

While in New Orleans, he married Hilda McGregor Sharpe. With his love of teaching, he went on to teach a few years at Northern Colorado University in Greeley, CO; where his two sons,

Kingsley and John, were born. From there, he returned to teach at the University of the South in Sewanee, TN. Eventually he moved to his position as a professor of English at Georgia Institute of Technology in 1969. He retired from his teaching career at Tech in 1997.

With his love of nature, gardening, education and music appreciation, Richard moved to a beautiful wooded area with a gentle creek flowing by in Jackson, GA. Here he planted additional trees that he loved, blueberry fields and numerous flowering plants. He also started and presided over a monthly adult reading group, worked with the local library and promoted and supported the Ferst Foundation for Childhood Literacy. He was a Life member of the Georgia Society of the Colonial Wars.

Richard is survived by two sons, Kingsley Guy Corbin and his wife, Penelope of Jackson, GA, and Dr. John Randolph Corbin and his wife Patricia of Columbus, GA; eight grandchildren: Annie Corbin, Abigail Corbin, Blaise Corbin (wife Jess), Aiden Corbin, Lane Corbin, Ian Corbin, Mia Truesdell and Jack Truesdell; and his sister, Alice and her husband Robert Clark and three nieces.

Lawrence D. “Mike” Milligan ’53 Lawrence Drake Milligan, Jr., of Cincinnati, OH and Naples, FL died on January 9th, 2018 in Naples, FL. Known to all as “Mike,” he was 81 years old and lived a full, happy life.

Mike was born April 6, 1936 in Lake Forest, IL, to Lawrence D. and Mary C. Milligan. He grew up in Charlottesville, VA, with his mother and sister, Patricia. He graduated from St. Andrew’s School, Middletown, DE, and Williams College. Mike served three years in the United States Marine Corps, an exposure that greatly influenced his awareness of country, honor, commitment and diversity.

Mike joined Procter and Gamble as a sales representative in June of 1960. He held a number of sales and general management positions until 1989 when he was appointed Senior Officer for Global Sales and Customer Business Development. He held that position for 10 years, during which time P&G completely changed how it went to market with its retail customers worldwide. This required major

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structural and operational innovation within P&G and the industry it served.

He retired from P&G after 38 years in 1998. In 1999 he became the interim President and CEO of Axel Johnson, Inc., Chairman of Larscom Inc. and later Chairman of AJI’s Executive Committee. He retired from AJI’s Board in 2006. During this period he was a director of several companies, including the Portman Equipment Co., and US Playing Card in Cincinnati. Over the years, Milligan was involved in a variety of charities, both local and national.

He was a steward of the Indian Hill Church and a Division Head of United Way. He was a founding trustee of INROADS, a national organization to provide opportunity and support for promising minority high school and college students.

Mike had a passion for challenging accepted business practices and entrenched systems, structures and strategies that were past their time. The changes P&G made to its global sales operations were copied by a number of major corporations and quickly became part of graduate business school curriculum worldwide. Mike served on the advisory boards of the graduate business schools at the University of Texas, Emory and the University of Tennessee, bringing the early adaption of Customer Business Development to the classroom.

A close P&G associate of many years said, “Mike was cutting edge, an out front, stand up kind of guy.” He approached business, as he did his life, with directness, honesty, humor and a genuine caring nature.

Mike had another passion—the outdoors. He hunted quail in Georgia, grouse in Ohio; during the summer with his family he swam and fished in the cold clear waters of McGregor Bay, Canada. And he was a confirmed jogger. For years, no matter where he was in the world, he would get up at dawn and run. Milligan’s longest ever run was the Marine Corps Marathon; he said, “it was like going home.”

His family suspects that is how he feels now.

Milligan was a member of The Optimist’s Club, The Queen City Club, The Camargo Club and The Bay Colony Golf Club.

Mike is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Lucy Shepard Milligan; his son, Michael Drake Milligan, Michael’s wife Alicia and their three children Andrew, Meghan and Jack of Charlottesville, VA; and his daughter, Carolyn Milligan Baron, Carolyn’s husband Marc-Olivier Michel Baron and their daughter, Olivia of Lexington, KY. Also, by his sister’s children, Mary Page Holmquist, and her husband Fred of Marine on St. Croix, MN, and James

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F. Adams Jr and his wife Heather of Fernandina Beach, FL, and also six nieces and nephews and their families on the Shephard side of the family. Mike is preceded in death by his parents and sister, Patricia.

James McGiffert ’55

Jim was born October 26, 1937 in Easton, PA. After graduating from St. Andrew’s, Jim attended Princeton. He was a member of Cloisters and was active in Princeton’s radio Station WPRB (103.5 FM).

After leaving Princeton, Jim became a staff reporter with the Easton Express. He moved to New York and started at 1010 WINS, a CBS affiliate, in 1962. He worked as a reporter, news editor, then senior writerbroadcaster. During his 40 years with WINS, he won accolades including First Place for Best Newscast from Broadcasters of New York for his coverage of the 1983 Beirut barracks bombings and from WINS for his coverage the 1991 Persian Gulf War. In 1962, Jim married Lynne Kaufmann. They raised two daughters in Harrington Park, NJ, and separated in 1992.

Upon retiring in 2002, Jim moved to the west coast. He married Anita Reetz and in 2005 they settled in Anacortes, WA. Jim enjoyed traveling and working abroad with Nita. They volunteered at Syiah Kuala University in Banda Aceh, Sumatra a year after the 2004 Asian tsunami. In 2007-8 they taught in Rwanda at the Kigali Health Institute.

His loving family includes his wife Anita, daughters Sandy (Hawkins) and Nancy (Hillis), a step-daughter, Nile Kurashige, sisters Lyn (Ekedahl) and Jan (Uehlinger), brother-in-law Mel Goodman, as well as five granddaughters, Maddy, Zoe, Sydney, Sasha and Kili.

Powell Hutton recalls, “I remember Jim best from our work together on our Sixth Form play, Petticoat Fever, an unlikely tale of an engaged couple whose aircraft crashed in Labrador and who found refuge in the hut of a lonesome radio operator. Jim played the sportsman whose plane had crashed; I played the radio operator who tried to woo away his fiancée. It was a farce of the first order, and Jim played his part to the hilt, as a wealthy, self-important, blustering man used to getting his own way. Much fun, and we (and the audience) had many laughs. Off stage, Jim got involved and was a principal in just about every responsible and intellectual pursuit we had at the time. He was a praefect (and monitor before that), and an editor or on the staff of all our student

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publications, such as the Yearbook, the Cardinal and the Andrean. We explored the natural world together with our beloved Professor Bill Amos and sang together in the choir. Although we did not remain in touch over the years since, he was always there when needed. We will miss him.”

Richard Orth ’56

C. Richard Orth, Sr. of Wilmington, DE, passed away peacefully at home on December 13, 2016, with his family by his side. Born in 1939, Dick attended school in Wilmington before graduating from St. Andrew’s School in Middletown. He then went on to get his degree in mechanical engineering at the University of Delaware. After working as an engineer for several years, Dick then became the Director of Marketing at Sun Ship in Chester, PA. He later joined Basic Commerce Industries in Moorestown, NJ, as a vice president who managed contracts to provide engineering services to the Navy.

Dick is survived by his wife of 55 years, Judith O’Hara Orth; his son, C. Richard Orth, Jr. and wife Sandra of Moorestown, NJ; and his daughter, Susan O. Cleary and husband Blake of Wilmington, DE. He is also survived by five grandchildren: Carter Orth, Susan Orth, Ryan Cleary, Matthew Cleary and Jennifer Cleary.

Growing up, Dick spent his summers in Rehoboth Beach and later built a house in Bethany. He continued to enjoy days at the beach with his wife, his kids and grandkids. Recently, he and Judy could often be found playing golf at Wilmington Country Club. Throughout his years, Dick loved watching his kids and grandkids in their various sporting events.

H. Hickman Rowland ’58 Capt. H. Hickman “Hick” Rowland, Jr., of New Castle, passed away Sunday, November 12, 2017 surrounded by family. Hick Rowland was born in Lewes on September 27, 1940, the son of the late Harry and Thelma Rowland.

When asked about where he grew up, Hick would reply joyfully, “I grew up in heaven. I grew up on Lewes Beach.” Hick had many wonderful memories of trying to keep up with his big sister, Sandra. It was on Lewes Beach that Hick fell in love with

sailing, placing as high as second place in National Championships. While later in life Hick could not find the time to sail, the fundamentals he learned would serve him extremely well running tugboats and handling ships as a docking pilot.

Hick went to St. Andrew’s School in Middletown for 8th-12th grades. As a student, he was active in all aspects of the St. Andrew’s community and was a two-time state wrestling champion. He remained highly engaged with the school throughout his life, serving as President of the Board of Trustees. He was also intimately involved with the creation of the nearby St. Anne’s Episcopal School, and currently served as its President of the Board of Trustees.

Hick obtained an undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania and was a member of their Varsity Crew and Wrestling programs. After graduating from Penn’s Wharton School of Business in 1962, Hick went on to become an investment banker first in New York and then in Philadelphia.

In 1969, Hick left with a friend for Australia where they spent two years. It was here that Hick met his wife, Carey, to whom he has been happily married for the last 46 years. Hick returned to Delaware and joined Wilmington Tug, which his father, Capt. Harry Rowland, started in 1965. Hick grew the company from a one tugboat operation into a large ship assist tugboat company on the Delaware River, currently operating eight tugboats from bases in Wilmington and Philadelphia. In 1977, Hick commissioned the building of the Tina, the first ASD Z-drive “tractor tug” in the United States. Hick was a visionary and his firsthand expertise as both a tugboat captain and docking pilot allowed him to appreciate how tractor tugs would significantly enhance safety in ship docking operations. Today, tractor tugs have become the industry standard in the ship assist business across the United States. Wilmington Tug’s six tractor tugs comprise one of the largest fleet of tractor tugs operating commercially in any single Port on the U.S. East Coast. Hick was happiest on the water on the bridge of a ship and docked over 20,000 ships as a pilot in his lifetime. Continuing the family business tradition, Hick’s son Chris joined Wilmington Tug and has worked alongside his father for the past 15 years. Hick also established other business ventures.

In 1973, he founded Delaware Bay Launch Service to service tankers performing lightering operations at Big Stone Beach Anchorage. Today, DBLS operates four crew boats from its base in Slaughter Beach.

In 1983, Hick co-founded Marine Lubricants, Inc. Operating from its base in Wilmington, Marine

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Lubricants is the largest transporter of engine lubricants to ships that call on the Delaware River.

Hick has long been an advocate for seafarers and established the Seamen’s Center of Wilmington in 1990. The Seamen’s Center offers respite and support to seafarers, and has assisted nearly 200,000 mariners to date. It is fully staffed by volunteers and the long-standing success of the center is one of Hick’s proudest achievements.

Hick was well-respected and admired among peers and served on multiple Maritime Boards, such as: the Board of Directors of the Diamond State Port Corporation; the Board of Directors for the Maritime Exchange of the Delaware River and Bay; Member and past President of the Board of Directors of the Port of Wilmington Maritime Society;Member, and current Secretary, of the Mariners’ Advisory Committee for the Bay & River Delaware. He has also been honored for his achievements and service with prestigious awards, such as: the 1999 Babiarz Award Presented by the POW Maritime Society, the 2005 US SBA Delaware Family Owned Small Business Person of the Year, and the 2011 Delaware Maritime Hall of Fame. Hick also served as Commissioner on the Municipal Services Commission of the City of New Castle, and on The Vestry of the Immanuel Episcopal Church in New Castle.

In addition to his many career successes and contributions to his community, Hick was always first and foremost a family man. He loved family dinners, board games, cheering for his grandchildren on the sports fields, and going to the theatre. He is predeceased by his parents Harry and Thelma Rowland, and his daughter Sally. He will be dearly missed and is survived by his wife Carey, sister Sandra, son Chris (Jenny), daughter Lindsey (John), and five grandchildren (Madeline, Sawyer, Harrison, Anise, and Finnegan). Hick’s smile, laugh, patience and wisdom will be sorely missed by his family, friends, colleagues and seafarers from around the world.

Kris Atchley ’58 remembers Hick, “Hick was a pillar of our class at SAS. I remember him perhaps most of all from our IV Form year when we inhabited, if one can call it that, the top floor of the old gym, froze in winter, and used to trap many of the hordes of mice there by putting a dab of peanut butter on a cross slit cut into a newspaper tightly fitted over a trash can, like the skin of a drum. We leaned a board on the trash can as a ramp that the mice could walk up, and when they crossed to paper to get the peanut butter, they fell into the can. You could hear them jumping up against the paper when we woke up.

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“Hick had a wry sense of humor, a high infectious laugh, and loved practical jokes. He was also an excellent coxswain on the SAS championship crew team. I did not know him well in later years when he became a major figure in the operation of SAS, but do remember that his offer of a dinner evening on a tugboat was a highlight of our alumni reunions. We will all miss Hick greatly.”

Thomas Dunning ’60 On October 20, 2017 Thomas Hugh Burwell Dunning, 76, of Warfield Farm, died at the Winchester Medical Center two weeks after having a heart attack at the Millwood Country Club while playing tennis with friends. Born June 30, 1941, Tom was the second child of Archibald R. and Virginia B.S.J. Dunning, and he is survived by his older brother, A.R. Dunning (Pete) and his wife Liz of Caveland Farm and by his younger brother, W.N. Dunning (Nick) and his wife Daphne of Throwleigh Farm.

For 30 years Tom and his spouse Wallace (Wally) Brewer, loved by all the Dunnings, lived an interesting and fulfilling life on their farm, raising livestock. On October 25, 2008, Tommy and Wally were married in California. Tom attended the Boyce Elementary School, Blue Ridge Country Day School, Kent School, St. Andrew’s School, and Randolph-Macon College. At college he was on the swimming team and the soccer team. Fresh from college graduation, Tom joined the National Guard and was posted to the armory in Berryville. In 1964 Tom bought the Northern Virginia Travel Bureau which he owned for 41 years.

As a young man Tom was active in the Republican Party in Clarke County, and as a delegate went to state and national conventions. He vastly enjoyed party politics, and he always found the meetings fascinating. Beginning in the 1950s, Tom hunted for 20 years with the Blue Ridge Hunt, and for many years he was a prime organizer of the annual Hunt Ball and of many other hunt activities. His car, surrounded by many guests and friends, was always on the hill at Woodly for the spring race meet.

In his later years Tom was an active member of the Millwood Club and vastly enjoyed being with the tennis players. His family and friends thought that the tennis court was a suitable place for him to end his life. His entire life Tom was a member of Christ Church, serving a number of times on the Vestry and on every imaginable committee. He had previously

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served on the Executive Board of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. Tom was, from its beginning, a loyal worker at the Christ Church Food Pantry. He found it enormously rewarding, and he was pleased to be providing food to now older people he had played with as a child.

Tom has four nieces, Ross Mulry of Alexandria, Virginia Tobeason (Peter) of New York, Molly Ohrstrom (Clarke) of The Plains, and Anne Izard (Bo) of Charlottesville, and two nephews, Jake Dunning (Arianna) of Middleburg, and Buster Dunning of Boyce. He also has four great-nieces, Maggie Mulry, and Katherine, Lizzie, and Freddie Tobeason, and four great-nephews, Tommy Mulry, Peter and Henry Ohrstrom, and Bolling Izard.

For 15 years Tom, and of course Wally, knew he had a congenital heart condition. Typically, he did not burden others with this information. He never altered course and lived life to its fullest.

Gordon Appell recalls, “Tom’s characteristics that first come to mind are ‘gentle and kind’ which were all too rare among teenager boys in the 1950s.

Glad to hear he had a good life surrounded by a loving family.”

Charles C. Shenk ’60 Charles C. Shenk, Jr., age 76, of Erie, passed away peacefully at his home. Charles “Chicker” was born on December 3, 1941, in Erie, PA, son to Charles Chalfont and Marion Louise Claus Shenk.

He attended St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, DE, and went on to study at Princeton University. Charles was a dedicated and invaluable volunteer at the Erie City Mission for over 25 years and an active member and worshiper at the Family Worship Center.

The following is a quote from Charles’ senior yearbook that captured his spirit, “He has never been too busy to give help, and by his patience and good humor, he has captured and held both our respect and friendship.”

Brian Fisher remembers, “Chick was such a major positive influence upon our class. He was Senior Prefect, awarded the St. Andrew’s Cross, all around athlete, plus many other achievements. I wish we could have kept in touch after graduation. I have been close to his cousin, Allen Shenk. Allen and I met in the church choir in Glastonbury (1980).”

John Beverly recalls, “I had not seen Chick since we were together at Princeton freshman year (with Brian and Bob Faux). I thought of him at SAS as

someone to look up to, almost like a prep school hero from that movie set at the school: handsome, kind, just, athletic, smart. Then life taught us we had to look up to ourselves. A great loss.”

Dennis Madigan (Former Faculty Member) Dennis Robert Madigan, 74, of Falmouth died November 10 at Cape Cod Hospital from complications after surgery.

Mr. Madigan was born in New York and graduated from Elmira Free Academy. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education from Ithaca College and a master’s in education from Springfield College.

He competed in football, baseball, and wrestling in high school and college. While at Springfield, he was a graduate assistant for the college’s wrestling team.

Mr. Madigan held many teaching and coaching positions in his career and earned numerous coach of the year awards, including New York Section III Wrestling Coach of the Year, Delaware Wrestling Coach of the Year and New England Wrestling Coach of the Year.

He went from school to St. Andrew’s School in Middletown, DE, where at 24 he became one of the youngest athletic directors in the nation and also served as the School’s football and wrestling coach.

A Falmouth resident since 1979, Mr. Madigan was head wrestling coach at Massachusetts Maritime Academy from 1980 to 1983 before he switched to selling real estate with Sherlock Holmes in order to spend more time with his family.

He maintained ties with the sports world by coaching at wrestling clinics around New England; playing in the Falmouth Recreation Department’s over-30 basketball league; and serving on the Falmouth Recreation Committee for three years, two of them as chairman.

In 1988, Mr. Madigan opened The Locker Room sports store, which he owned until 1992. He was also the owner of the Century Irish Pub until 1994.

He also held bartender positions in many local establishments and was a substitute teacher for the Falmouth Public Schools. Most recently, he was the head of security and a “greeter” at the Chart Room.

Mr. Madigan was a member of the Falmouth Elks Lodge and many athletic associations. He attended St. Patrick’s Church. He leaves his son, Robert W. Madigan, and his former wife, Marsha Vidal. J

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T H E L A S T WO R D

Letter to a New Teacher Over the summer, Head of School Tad Roach tasked the faculty with the following assignment: “Imagine that someone very close to you is beginning a career in teaching this fall. Write him or her a letter with your best reflections, observations, and advice.” What follows is Mathematics Department Chair Eric Finch’s letter.

Dear New Teacher, I’m so excited you’ve decided to explore a calling in education. The next year is one you will never forget. It will be both exhausting and exhilarating. I know we both love to ski. The next few months will be like your first foray down a mogul-filled black diamond slope. There are times you’ll be scared and moments you won’t think you’ll make it to the bottom safely, but you will. I know you have the resilience to struggle through those moments. Simply do your best, understand that you will make mistakes, and have the humility to admit those mistakes and learn from them.

You’ll be inundated with lesson planning, grading, comment writing, coaching, advising, and a slew of other responsibilities. These are all important and valuable aspects of your position, but don’t get swallowed up by the details. Do your best to keep your larger mission in mind. For me, that’s to live my life on campus as an example of a growth mindset. It’s important that I share with my students that I don’t know everything (even when it comes to math), but that I can always learn more. I was not preordained to understand the complexities of math, LEARNING SOMETHING I worked hard and often floundered until abstract ideas started to make sense. Every one of your students has the potential to learn and needs to WITH YOUR STUDENTS be given the safe space to do so. Never be afraid to admit you can’t solve a CAN BE MORE EFFECTIVE particular problem. Use that opportunity to demonstrate for your students how a scholar handles such moments of confusion. Delight in your failures THAN TEACHING and model how you can overcome them through resilience, effort, and SOMETHING TO YOUR self-confidence. You know plenty about your curriculum, but that doesn’t STUDENTS. mean you have to know everything. Moments when your students can observe your learning process are golden. They convey the message that they too can follow the process of learning something new. Learning something with your students can be more effective than teaching something to your students.

The great news is that what you’ll get out of this experience is commensurate with what you put into it. It’s fair to say that some years of my life have enabled me to put more effort into my teaching than others. At graduation it is always apparent to me what kind of year it’s been. In the best years graduation is a difficult time. I look out at the graduating students and realize my daily life will be diminished once they leave. It is a bittersweet moment, but one that makes me proud of the effort I spent to create those relationships that I will miss. I know those students have left a mark on me, and that I have hopefully done the same for them. It’s my hope that you shed a few tears at your first graduation, confidently knowing your year was well spent.

Sincerely, Eric

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